288 
EXPERIENCES OF THE SEVERE 
WINTER OF 1890-91. 
Ix order to place more clearly before the reader the influence 
of rainfixll and temperature upon the produce of the soil and the 
health of the live stock of the farm, it is necessary to take a 
retrospective view of a cycle of years, for which purpose we 
have selected the period 1885-90. Although the mean rain- 
fall varies considerably in different localities, yet taking the 
average of the last six years the deficiency throughout the 
wliole of England is very slight. During the winter of 1890 
and the spring of 1891, the springs have, in many localities, 
been nearly as low as they were in the dry summers of 18G8 
and 1870. In some districts the only supply for the stock of 
the farm was carried in water-carts from available points, often 
at some distance from the homestead. 
I have in my own practice spent considerable sums in con- 
veying water by gravitation, and in raising it by motive power, 
for the supply of homesteads and cottages. My experience, 
which coincides with tlie opinion entertained by other observers, 
is that the general extension of drainage is exercising a dis- 
turbing effect on the springs by carrying off the surface water 
more rapidly, and thus preventing its percolation through the 
soil to supply the deep wells and subterranean circulation. If 
this contention be correct it is obvious that the rapid removal 
of the surface water will reduce evapoi'ation, and slowly decrease 
the amount of rainfall. Medical men are aware of the fact that 
certain diseases are more prevalent in a wet than in a diy season, 
though tlie latter is more fertile in its own special maladies. 
The same influences affect the health of the lower animals, to 
which we shall refer as we proceed. 
During the period under consideration, farmers have sus- 
tained large losses of stock due to causes of a preventable 
character. The season lias, on the whole, been peculiar. South 
of the Trent the temperature was more variable, and on the 
average more severe, and the snowfall mucli heavier, than was 
experienced in counties in the more nortliern parts of the king- 
dom. In some of the south-western districts of Scotland the 
plough was idle for little more than three weeks throughout the 
whole wiut(>r. In many of the eastern aiul soutliern counties 
of England the snow lay long and deep for many weeks. So 
late as ihe second week of JNTarch the southern and south- 
western counties were visited by one of the lieaviest falls of snow 
