DAIRY AND SEED IMPROVEMENT MEETINGS. 237 



SOIL MOISTURE AND HUMUS. 

 Prof. Franklin Menges, York, Pa. 



(Stenographic Report.) 



I am not going to repeat that old saying to which every 

 speaker gives expression — that he is cleHghted to be present, 

 glad to see you, and that sort of thing. I feel honored to l)e 

 here ; I was requested to come back, and that is an honor that 

 I very much appreciate, and I want to say so to you people of 

 the State of Maine. 



My subject this morning is "Soil Moisture and Humus." To 

 this question of soil moisture the farmer often attributes his 

 not being able to produce a paying crop. People blame the 

 Almighty for their failure, because He does not reply to any 

 of their accusations and they can go on in peace ; anyway, that 

 is what they do in Pennsylvania and I presume the same thing 

 is done in the State of Maine. We like to blame somebody 

 and we seldom put it on the right one. 



In the State of Pennsylvania, anywhere from 35 to 55 inches 

 of rain falls during the year; in Maine, from 40 to 50 inches, 

 if I mistake not. I think this is about correct, but I am not a.h 

 well acquainted with your climatic conditions as I am with 

 those of my own state. Now, my friends, what does it mean 

 to have that amount of rainfall? Every inch of rainfall rep- 

 resents about 113 tons of water to the acre, or, if you have 40 

 to 50 inches of rainfall, the land you cultivate is covered to 

 a depth of anywhere from 40 to 50 inches with water, annually, 

 and you know that is moisture enough to produce any kind 

 of a crop, provided it is conserved in such a way that you will 

 get the benefits from it. There is no question about your not 

 having enough in Maine, or about our not having rain enough 

 in Pennsylvania. 



You may want to know why it is that, in some sections of 

 our state, we have 35 inches of rainfall, while in some others. 



