TKflorfe at an Hmetlcan bsen>atot 85 



staff Observatory was laid before the British Astro- 

 nomical Association's meeting, it was small wonder that 

 Colonel E. E. Markwiek, the President, should say 

 that " the diversity of the branches of astronomy 

 Dr. Lowell had touched upon was remarkable." 



n 



It is perhaps appropriate that I should mention 

 here a recent suggestion concerning the irrigation of 

 the planet Mars. Dr. Lowell's observations show that 

 whatever it is that melts at the Martian polar caps it 

 is apparently carried towards the equator and then 

 on to the other pole, where it freezes. In due season 

 it again melts and again moves towards the equator, 

 the impression being that it is assisted across the 

 planet by some artificial means or other. Mr. C. E. 

 Housden, of Chiswick, however, suggests that the 

 Martian water has to be driven over the planet through 

 pipes and distributed as " artificial rain " by means of 

 mechanical sprinklers where it is most required. He 

 is of the opinion that the amount of water available 

 from the polar caps is quite insufficient to secure the 

 growth of vegetation on Mars all the year round, and 

 believes there may be additional supplies from springs, 

 or deep wells and artesian borings in the oases or 

 other parts of the extensive blue -green areas and in 

 the central desert oases. The chief desert supply 

 centre he places at the Trivium Charontis, at the foot 

 of Elysium. Each source of supply, it is suggested, 

 could be so utilised as to supplement the others, and 

 thus provide for the irrigating of the entire surface. 

 It is admitted by Mr. Housden that water is scarce on 



