The Dry Spell 81 



Earth can, and (Ingenuity and Industry well encouraged) 

 will (by Gods blessing) yield." 



The moisture of the soil. 



Lands oftener need moisture in the growing season 

 than they need fertilizers. They usually need both, if the 

 largest and best crops are to be secured. Drought seems 

 to most persons to be one of those calamities in which 



FIG. 15. The use of the disc-harrow with a spike-tooth follower. 



there are no secondary or incidental blessings, and it must 

 be confessed that the lesson of the recurring droughts has 

 not yet been learned by the great body of farmers. The 

 one remedy that occurs to most persons is irrigation, and 

 yet there is sufficient rainfall in most parts of the older 

 fruit-growing regions to provide all the needs of large 

 crops. The difficulties are that this rainfall comes when 

 it seems not to be wanted, and very much of it is allowed 

 to escape by evaporation. The truth is, however, that 

 the heavy rainfall usually comes at the best season, 

 F 



