PAPERS OF GENERAL INTEREST 43 



The rainfall of the Ozark region is the heaviest in the 

 state and ranges from 44 to 45 inches per year, for a 

 period of ten years. For Carbondale the average has 

 been nearly 44 inches. In some of the higher parts of 

 the Ozarks it is a little higher, reaching 45 inches. The 

 average distribution of the rainfall by months for a period 

 of ten years is quite unifoiTn, with a slight maximum in 

 March, June, and November, and a little more pronounced 

 minimum in August, September, and October. These figures 

 refer to averages for a period of ten years. Individual 

 years and months show quite different results. For in- 

 stance in 1914 only .92 inches of rain fell in June and ..35 

 inches fell in July, making in all, for a period of two critical 

 m.onths, only 1.27 inches. This rain was largely in slight 

 showers and soon evaporated. The mean monthly tem- 

 perature for July of that year was 83 degrees, or three de- 

 grees above the norm.al. Again in the year 1916, the rain- 

 fall was only .21 of an inch for July. Again this rain fell in 

 slight showers and was soon evaporated because the mean 

 July temperature of that year was 82 degrees, or two degrees 

 above the normal. In both these years there was serious 

 drouth in the two critical months of July and August, that 

 did serious damage to all crops, particularly summer vege- 

 tables. Small fruits and even the apples and peaches were 

 small, although the quality was otherwise good. 



Thus the surface, soils, climate, and the composition of 

 the rocks, particularly adapts the Ozarks to the production 

 of fruits and vegetables, where railroad transportation is 

 good. In the other sections stock raising and the produc- 

 tion of timber should be the leading industries, while in cer- 

 tain restricted areas the mining of spar, kaolin, and silica 

 have assumed considerable importance. But perhaps one of 

 the newest and most needed mineral industries is limestone 

 crushing. The limestone crushing industry has al- 

 ready assumed some importance in Union and Johnson 

 counties. Union, Johnson, Pope and Hardin counties have 

 abundant supplies of limestone, although their cherty com- 

 position is a discouraging feature in many localities. 



