the climate is equable, the atmosphere clear and beautiful, the
sky serene and sapphire-blue: the severest winds but gentle zephyrs
wafted towards the equator from the more remote portions of our globe.
Cloudy skies are rare and rainstorms few.

There is no lack of God's gifts on Mars. As intensive farming is a
necessity on our planet, plant food or fertilizing elements are
plentiful. One of the large white circular spots observed by your
astronomers, located in a region on Mars named by them Elysium, and
which has been a puzzle to all observers, is an immense deposit of
fertilizing chemicals. An immense well is located in this particular
spot which gushes forth a never-ending saline solution, highly
impregnated with sodium nitrate, potash and other salts. The country
for many miles around is covered with a white precipitate which has
been carried by the moist air and deposited on the Martian earth.
These chemical compounds are refined and used to replenish the soil
with plant food.

There are 153,000 centers of population on Mars, but these centers are
not congested cities similar to those on your Earth. Every individual
has plenty of room to thrive and develop the best within him.

Our cities are not crowded and our buildings are beautiful in their
simplicity: large and roomy, with an abundance of sunlight and ample
ventilation. White marble and metals are employed for building
purposes.

The inhabitants congregate in centers and, owing to our more perfect
methods of transportation, go forth daily to their tasks in field or
factory, to return at the end of their allotted period to home and
fireside.

CHAPTER III.

THE MARTIAN CANAL SYSTEM

The Canal system on Mars is comparatively new. The idea of
constructing a planetary Canal system had its incipiency at the time of
Christ's visit to our planet. The Master warned the people that they
must make provision for their future water supply. At that time
(10,000 years ago) the water supply was becoming noticeably scarcer as
time went on. It was nearly 3,000 years after the Master's mission to
Mars had been concluded that actual construction of the Planetary Canal
system was undertaken; and during the intervening 7,000 years and up to
the present time, construction on the public waterways has continued.

At the present day the system is most complete, but constant work is
required to keep the canals in working order. In addition to the
gigantic Can