^r^2 The Dead Sea. [November, 



These experiments, I understand, were made by you immediately, 

 after bearing tbe lecture of Prof. Comstock, on " Terra Culture," at 

 Farmers' College, Sept. 1st, 1856, and most clearly demonstrate 

 tbe practical value of tbat gentleman's tbeory. Altbougb there 

 seems to be a strong and determined opposition to tbe doctrines ad- 

 vanced by Prof. Comstock, in certain quarters, yet I bave never met 

 witb one wbo bas been willing to test bis tbeory by actual practice. 

 It is a very easy matter to cry out " bumbug," but not always so 

 easy to demonstrate its clearness by negative proof. Tbe course 

 wbicb you bave pursued in tbis case will be very gratifying to tbe 

 friends of scientific agriculture every where, and most especially to 

 those who have silently brooked the " storm " of fanatic indignation 

 which met them at every step since the memorable first of Sep- 

 tember. 



Your motto, which is, to " fri/ all things,'' meets my most candid 

 approbation, and whenever it may be necessary, shall receive a 

 hearty co-operation, let whoever may, stand in the opposition. 

 Believe me most sincerely and truly Yours, 



William Stoms. 



Though in breadth not exceeding ten miles, the Dead Sea seems 

 boundless to the eye when looking from north to south; and the 

 murmur of waves, as they break on its flint-strewn shore, together 

 witb tbe lines of driftwood and fragments of bitumen on the beach, 

 give to its waters a resemblance to tbe ocean. Curious to experience 

 the sensation of swimming in so strange a sea, I put to the test the 

 accounts of the extreme buoyancy felt in it, and I was quickly con- 

 vinced that there was no exaggeration in what I heard. I found 

 the water almost tepid, and so strong, tbat tbe chief difiiculty was to 

 keep sufficiently submerged, the feet starting up in the air at every 

 vigorous stroke. When floating, half the body rose above tbe sur- 

 face, and with a pillow, one might have slept upon the water. After 

 some time the strangeness of the sensation in some measure disap- 

 peared, and on approaching the shore I carelessly dropped my feet 

 to wade out, when lo ! as if a bladder had been attached to each heel, 

 they flew upwards ; the struggle to recover myself sent my bead 



