324 



AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



The above table ;i.ffoi ds unexpectedly favorable results, ])articularly in 

 regard to tlie critical seasons of spring and summer. Of more than 

 twenty stations near or on the plains, but two or three show marked 

 deficiency of rain, even in summer ; and in spring-, April and May at 

 the Soutii, and May and June at the Xorth, are always marked by a 

 fair amount of rain. 



There is, it is true, need of observation at a much greater number of 

 places, and conducted for longer ]^eriods. A few years more of the 

 present fullness of observation will warrant more decisive judgments 

 as to the quantities anywhere at hand to be utilized in some way more 

 than is done at present. If, at the localities of Fort Atkinson, Fort 

 Kearney, and Fort Sully, on this side of the plains, a summer ag- 

 gTegate of 10 inches or more is to be relied upon, and at Fort Lyon, 

 Golden Citj-, Laramie, and Cheyenne, o to 7 inches can be relied upon 

 for the same season, the assurance is certain that forest-growth may be 

 anywhere maintained after the first eftbrts and dangers of i)lanting are 

 past. Comparing these quantities with the records of rain-fall in 

 Europe, the facts appear in a still more striking light ; the whole in- ' 

 terior, and indeed much, of the west of Europe, having a small quantity 

 of rain. The following are condensed results by seasons, and generally 

 derived from long periods of observation : 



Locality. 



Spring 



Inches. 



London, England 4. 09 



Marseilles. France { 4. C7 



Berlin '.-| 5.66 



St. PetersburA- ! 2.89 



Simferopol, Crimea j 3. 22 



Lougan, South Russia 3. 57 



Year. 



Inches. 

 20.69 

 20.16 

 23.56 

 17.65 

 14. 83 

 13.87 



The whole central area of Europe exhibits like small quantities of 

 rain, and the simple measurements of quantity on the plains of the 

 United States by no means sustain the idea that such aridity exists as 

 to require irrigation. Yet the small number of rainy or cloudy days, 

 and the sudden outflow of the water in streams, as well as its rapid 

 evaporation in the somewhat caustic atmosphere that sweeps over the 

 plains, reduce the practical value of the rain falling to little more than 

 half the quantity when deposited elsewhere. At i^iagara and Koches- 

 ter, iN'ew York, the quantity of rain in spring is less than 7 inches, and 

 that of summer Si to 9 inches only. At Council Grove, Fort Eiley, and 

 Fort Atkinson, positions reaching westward from the settled border of 

 Kansas, the quantity is fully equal to or exceeds that at liochester. 

 Even at Golden City, Fort Lyon, and Denver, it is nearly equal in 

 spring, though deficient in summer. 



Several instances of especially favorable results in the rain-fall of 

 single months for the year 1872 are afforded at the stations of the War 

 Department Signal-Service on and near the plains ; among which are 

 the following, showing vcr^' ample rains at the critical months, April to 

 July, (quantities in inches :) 



