Winter AIectins[. 175- 



'.b 



substance in the water. That the water is carried in the atmosphere 

 and is held in suspension in the atmosphere until precipitated by our 

 rains, and when it does rain we understand that the vegetable growth 

 that is decayed, and all over the surface of the earth where vegetables 

 grow there is a constant decay of vegetation, and the gases "arising 

 from that vegetation return into the air and are held there as gases. 

 When we have a rain, the rain havin-g more attraction for those gases 

 than the air does, it gathers them up and they are carried into the 

 earth, and when carried into the earth, the earth having a greater at- 

 traction for these gases than the water has, it takes them up. Then 

 when the water seeps into the earth, the gases immediately begin to. 

 load up with minerals. That is, the minerals in the earth that are in 

 solid condition are attracted by the water and carried down into the 

 earth by that water. Now, that brings this application that I tell you of 

 the moisture ; the rain has absorbed all the minerals that it can hold, 

 or as much of them as it can reach, and they are held in the earth at 

 different depths ; sometimes near the surface and sometimes a way down. 

 Well, now, while we have plenty of minerals at the surface, they are 

 not affected, because they are not in soluble condition. They are not 

 in condition to be used by plants, but here is this moisture way down 

 in the earth that is loaded with these minerals that are necessary for 

 plant growth, and when we have the dry weather that we had this 

 summer the heat begins to have an attraction, and that moisture is. 

 drawn from an immense depth below the surface to the surface, and 

 when that water is brought to the surface and evaporates, there is 

 not one particle of that mineral element that is carried oft" by this evapo- 

 ration. It is all left at the surface of the earth, and hence, when we 

 get a shower of rain after the drouth, the remarkable growth of vege- 

 tation. 



Now we know the results of this on this vear's growth, and mv 

 opinion is, that it is largely owing to this fact that the moisture has 

 drawn these minerals to the surface and made them available. Did 

 you ever see a season after a severe drouth that we didn't have good 

 crops? I don't remember of a time after Ave have had a severe drouth, 

 but what we have had especially good years in the succeeding years 

 for good crop growth. Now am I right in this ? These are my rea- 

 sons why I think drouths are necessary. 



Mr. Murray. — I am one of those that have had failures and suc- 

 cesses both. I was very much interested in that paper read by Mrs. 

 Flournoy last night, and I am inclined very much to the idea that plow- 

 ing an orchard is all right, and not being so awfully afraid to break- the 

 roots, too. The first orchard I planted is 20 miles above this cit}-. That 



