MARCH. 115 



But this very great difference in the average temperature of 

 London and Boston would not be so remarkable were it not 

 that it is here acfcompanied by an almost cloudless sky, a 

 blazing sun, and parching winds, causing evaporation at a 

 fearful rapidity compared with that under the murky atmos- 

 phere of Great Britain. In the latter, there is a remarkable 

 uniformity in the quantity of rain which falls, the exception 

 being an occasional drought as in 1844, when we visited Lon- 

 don, and found the grass actually brown from the long con- 

 tinued dry weather ; while with us there are constant ex- 

 tremes of drought and rain, the exceptions being an occa- 

 sional moist summer, as in 1850, Our farmers rarely if ever 

 experience any loss in harvesting their crops, while the Brit- 

 ish husbandman is constantly suffering from the dampness of 

 that climate. 



These at least are two of the important differences between 

 the climate of Great Britain and our own ; and indicate, to 

 our view, that we should not be entirely guided by English 

 works in our system of cultivation, but relying upon all that 

 accords with sound theory combined with practice, add 

 thereto such knowledge as our experience may suggest. We 

 must here counteract as far as possible the excessive dryness 

 of our climate ; and strive to supply a more uniform moisture 

 than our periodical rains afford. The details of this would 

 occupy more room than we can now devote to it ; but we 

 shall refer to it in a future number. 



At present we cannot occupy the attention of our readers 

 to more advantage than to give the following extract from an 

 able essay on " deep tillage," which we find in the Transac- 

 tions of the Essex Agricultural Society for 1854, by Dr. E. 

 G. Kelley, Evergreens, Newburyport. It will well repay 

 a careful perusal, and afibrd evidence, additional if any is. 

 wanting, of the importance of deep cultivation : — 



It turns the drought itself to good account, and renders 

 mulching and irrigation comparatively useless, or, if used, more 

 efficacious. During a dry spell and in trenched ground roots 

 strike deeper in search of food and moisture, become more 



