He sang about the Great Depression, and the problems faced by farmers at the time of the Dust Bowl, when erosion and drought ruined millions of acres of farmland.

And they never took a chance, Mr. Bergman said, that a drought might ruin them.

The drought ruined last season.

The drought has ruined crops and added to the unemployment and food shortages that are causing price riots around the country in a social parallel to last year's wildfires.

But a severe drought has ruined yet another crop for the Chipaya, the last remaining descendants of the Uru tribe, who were among the first inhabitants of South America.

The market for Navajo rugs never waned, and weavers gave all their time to this source of income, always steady while drought and floods regularly ruined their crops.

After a drought had ruined crops in several Texas counties, Congress appropriated $10,000 to purchase seed grain for farmers there.

A severe drought ruined two consecutive crops, killed livestock and drove already high food prices beyond what many families could afford.

A severe drought has ruined the carrot crop up north in Bugs Bunny's northern home.

When the 1875 drought ruined the livestock industry, Freeman turned to dry farming.