Norwich bulletin., 1912-06-08

have chosen to rot rather than to ger minate
 Everything and everybody are be hind hand" Here it is well into June and lots of May work not yet done. Crops which ought to have been np by this time are still unsown or un- planted. If by any chance two decently bright days happen along, one is need ed for drying off the top of the muddy fields-and the next will be Sunday
 Added to the general blueness of the whole agricultural situation, this spell O weather gives the universe a very unpleasant tint. But there are some things to be put down on the credit side of the balance sheet, after all
 I'm not going to attempt a general summing up, for no general summing up will ever exactly fit any individual case Nor am l going to devote much time to such old saws as Every cloud has it's silver lining; or The sun is always shining, somewhere: or Its always darkest just before dawn" Not that we can afford to ignore wholly the centuries old experience and the hoary wisdom gathered into these sayings and others like them. But they're always at the tip of every tongue, anyway. There are two or three other considerations in the mat ter worth giving thought to.
 In the first place, while we along the Atlantic seaboard of America have been annoyed by too much rainfall, great areas of continental Europe have been parching up and burning under 8 pltiless drouth. If you'll just stop look ing at the everlasting rain a minute and use your memory to recall past seasons, you'll admit that too much water Isn't quite so bad as no water at all. Wet feet are unpleasant but they are better than death from thirst. Then, too, the ponds and streams and reservoirs are full to overflowing. When we remember that over half the population of this country live in cities and are dependent on ponds or rivers for their water supply, we must admit that there is some satisfaction for them in having enough water impound- ed to drink, at least. For the past few years they've been on short commons. If the greatest good of the greatest number is desideratum, then an am pie water supply for the cities is blessing.
 Last week 1 had a talk with one of the most prominent bOtanists in the east about the chestnut blight disease which has already destroyed all the chestnut trees around New York city, in parts of New Jersey. Pennsylvania and Connecticut, and seems to be spreading This botanist takes a rath- CT hopeful view of the future. based on this very over-supply of moisture which is bothering us farmers. For several years, now, the rainfall has been under the normal The summers have been inclined to droughtiness Trees, such as the chestnut, demand a great amount of water, and they draw it from greater depths than annual plants or crops use. For several years they have been stinted. The little sum- mer rains which have fallen have serv- ed to irrigate only the surface, with out sinking down deep into the subter- ranean, where the bulk of the tree roots are drilling for water. As a result, the disease-resisting vitality oi the trees has been reduced. They were hardly able to live. much less to fight off new attack from a virulent en- emy.
 But this springs rains have soaked the earth as far down as water can go. The natural assumption is that the tree roots will have plenty to drink IL follows, too, that they will become healthier, stronger better able to re- sist enemies and throw off disease.
 This botanist hopes and believes, too that, If we can only have a sufficient amount of moisture continued over 8 sufficiently long period, the seemingly doomed chestnut forests will pick uI their old vitality and be able to defy in large measure their new enemy. Perhaps he's over optimistic, but he has had large experience, knows about all which is at present knowable con- cerning vegetable growths, and I, foi one, am inclined to think he has g pretty level head in this, as in other matters.