132 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



Mr. Bridgeman had observed that the plains of Long Island 

 stand a drought better than inland soil. He had also observed 

 the same thing of the eastern shore of New Jersey. He ascribed 

 this result to the influence of the salt in the atmosphere, which 

 has a tendency to attract and retain moisture. He had found 

 that a small quantity of salt sprinkled upon dry lands, would 

 often enable them to stand a drought. 



Mr. Robinson cited his own garden as an exception to Dr. 

 Peck's theory, that land deeply plowed and constantly stirred, is 

 safe against drought. His land had been trenched 30 inches 

 deep, thoroughly manured, plowed and subsoil plowed repeatedly 

 and as deeply as possible, and had been stirred as frequently this 

 manner as it is ever desirable to stir land even in drought. In 

 addition to that, plaster and salt and ashes have all been used. 

 Yet, with all this, the drought is so severe that the crops fail. 

 There has been no rain there since the potatoes were planted, 

 sufficient to wet them in the hill. In planting the potatoes, he 

 had marked the rows with a subsoil plow, going as deeply as pos- 

 sible, and scattered salt with the potatoes in the rows. By his 

 method of cultivation, he had been able to obtain a few small 

 potatoes, while his neighbors, who merely scratched the ground 

 Maryland fashion, got none. All the remedies for drought have 

 failed, excepting irrigation; and to tliat wo must come at last. 

 The best outlay that can be made upon a farm is to prepare by 

 wind-power or water-power for irrigating the land, and placing 

 it beyond all fear of drought. If the -lands are properly under- 

 drained there will be no danger of giving them too much 

 water. 



Dr. Trimble said that in New Jersey, where they have marl, 

 there is no necessity for irrigation. They have no drought. 



Mr. Carpenter said that drought was particularly injurious to 

 shrubbery and trees newly set out, unless they have been pro- 

 perly watered when set out. And by a proper watering they 

 can be protected from the effects of drought. Spading around 

 each tree to a depth of fifteen inches, then applying not less 

 than six pailfuls of water to a tree ten feet in height, and mulch- 

 ing the ground as far as the roots extend, there is no necessity 

 for repeating the operation, if there should be no rain for a 

 month. Unless thoroughly wet more injury may be done than 

 good. 



