58 
Table IV. —Continued. 
Spring. 
Summer. 
Autumn. 
Winter. 
April to 
Septemb’r 
Summer 
Half. 
October to 
March- 
Winter 
Half. 
Yearly 
Average. 
Years. 
7.1)8 
7 69 
8 21 
11 61 
16.03 
18 46 
35 49 
.1863 
8.30 
8.90 
9.17 
5.99 
18.52 
13.13 
32.36 
.1864 
10.37 
15.31 
9.41 
5.66 
29.19 
12.56 
40.75 
.1865 
7.41 
11.66 
10 82 
6 55 
23 23 
13 21 
36 44 
....1866 
9.01 
8.89 
3 91 
7 12 
17 34 
12 39 
29 53 
....1867 
16.91 
8.32 
10.14 
3 56 
25.34 
13 59 
38 93 
.1868 
11.86 
15.58 
6.83 
6.81 
27.03 
14 00 
41 08 
.1869 
6.90 
8.42 
8.64 
7.40 
14.86 
16.50 
31.36 
.1870 
7.41 
6.94 
6.98 
8.16 
14.90 
17.29 
32.19 
.1871 
.1872 
11.86 
7.54 
6 73 
9 33 
20 76 
14 70 
35 46 
..1873 
6.50 
10.52 
10 92 
5 99 
21 99 
11 94 
33.93 
.1874 
8.12 
14.30 
7 10 
5 27 
24.41 
10 38 
34.79 
..1875 
12.71 
16.34 
9.58 
6 85 
29.92 
15.56 
45.48 
.1876 
10.26 
12.38 
11.22 
4.68 
20.25 
18.29 
48.54 
.1877 
• 
Is it possible to find any remedy for this evil ? Or in any way to 
affect the meteorological conditions so as to distribute more evenly 
the rain that falls, and to retain it and render it more useful ? 
We see by what has been said, and by the graphic delineation I 
have presented, that excessively wet years are about as injurious as 
excessively dry years; the former flooding the fields, while the damp 
atmosphere carries the fungus and molds everywhere, not only de¬ 
stroying the gathered fruits and vegetables, but attacking the living, 
sapping the very fountain of life,—the latter not only withering the 
struggling plants, but bringing upon them hosts of injurious insects 
to assist in the work of destruction. It is a striking illustration of 
the “struggle for existence.” What can we do in this warfare, to 
assist struggling vegetation? 
First, proper drainage will assist in carrying off the surplus water 
that accumulates in the level, depressed and low places in the wet 
seasons. This is a point which has been so fully discussed by others 
that it is wholly unnecessary for me to say anything further in 
reference to it. 
Second, much can be done to attract, distribute and retain moisture 
in the dry years. 
Tree planting in this connection has also been so often discussed 
that it is not necessary for me to do more than simply to mention 
it. There is one point only in reference to it that I will call atten¬ 
tion to, and that is the mistaken notion that a covering of grass is 
as effective for this purpose as a covering of forest trees. Elaborate 
and thorough investigations recently made in Europe have shown 
beyond dispute that this is an erroneous idea; that forests are 
decidedly more effectual for this purpose than grass or any other 
kinds of vegetation, and that the evergreens or Conifera are more 
beneficial in this direction than deciduous trees. 
But there are other means of assisting in this matter which, prob¬ 
ably because they appear like small matters, have been overlooked 
by those discussing this subject. 
0 
