;ilO TRANSACTIONS OF THE [jUNE 9, 



in one oblong barometric depression stretching over several States 

 or Territories, ofttimes being divided by areas of high pressure, 

 forming two distinct storm centres of what was the barometric 

 trough. These latter storms invariably passed over the irrigated 

 lands of either Colorado or Wyoming, and sometimes Nebraska 

 and Kansas. Those storms which passed into our country from 

 the Northwest or Southwest, with but few exceptions, took the 

 same course across some of the States mentioned and where irri- 

 gation existed ; some appeared to be drawn hundreds of miles 

 5>ut of their regular course into the irrigated lands. During the 

 year 1888 sixty-two storms passed directly over or were di-awn 

 into the irrigated region, while in the year 1889 the total num- 

 ber was sixty-seven. The increased number of depressions form- 

 ing in Colorado, Wyoming, and the plateau of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, and also many storms that formerly followed a track across 

 the country from the Southwest, and usually passed off the coast 

 south of New York, have in later years, with but few excep- 

 tions, left what appeared to be the more natural course and 

 travelled in a more northerly direction toward the irrigated lands, 

 and there, with a fresh accumulation of vapor, started with re- 

 newed vigor for the great lakes. 



All storms, like the electric current, follow a path of the least 

 atmospheric resistance. An increase of moisture offers extra at- 

 traction where storms pass over a dry country; the immense 

 area of country surrounding the irrigated lands offers resistance 

 to the storm's movement on account of its dryness, and instead 

 of passing over thousands of miles of such land they take up a 

 course which offers the greatest attraction and least resistance, — 

 over the artificial waterways. 



As late as 1874 irrigation on the Western plains was almost 

 unknown. The city of Denver was watered from small irrigat- 

 ing ditches ; the water was carried from the mountains, 12 or 

 13 miles distant, and on set days of each week would be turned 

 on and allowed to run through certain streets of the city. The 

 rainfall was inadequate to supply the necessary moisture to the 

 smallest plants, so, to water the ordinary house gardens, small 

 sluices were cut from what we call gutters to the small patch of 

 ground under cultivation. The water was allowed to run on 

 two or three days of each week, not more. It was impossible at 

 that time for a person to raise enough corn to feed one horse; 

 all the produce required was transported at an enormous expense 

 from the Mississippi valley or California. Since then the sys- 

 tem of irrigation has gradually expanded, until 4,300,000 acres 

 of the most fertile soil are made available for raising crops of all 

 sorts in abundance, and more than enough for home consump- 

 tion. According to the figures of Mr. C. E. Dutton, Chief En- 



