PHYSICAL AND CLIMATIC SETTING 25 



months emphasize the greater prevalence of rainy 

 days in the northern as compared with the southern 

 section of the State. With an agriculture adapted 

 to the peculiarities of each division, these figures 

 do not imply that on the whole one has a decisive 

 advantage over the other. 



Schneider points out that "there is more sunshine 

 in the Upper Peninsula in May and July than in 

 the Lower Peninsula, and for the four month period 

 April to July, inclusive, there is somewhat more 

 sunshine in the Upper Peninsula than in the Lower. 

 After the end of July the days grow shorter more 

 rapidly in the Upper Peninsula than in the Lower, 

 and the differences in the amount of sunshine in the 

 Upper and Lower Peninsulas become greater be- 

 cause the winter days are shorter in the Upper 

 Peninsula than in the Lower." 



If the normal temperature of the State is favor- 

 able to agriculture, so also is the quantity and 

 distribution of moisture. The normal annual pre- 

 cipitation is stated by the United States Weather 

 Bureau to be 32.91 inches for the whole State, which, 

 coming mainly in the growing season, affords an 

 ample allowance for vegetation. The annual supply 

 of moisture is somewhat greater in the northern 

 peninsula, namely, 34.58 inches. The most south- 

 erly counties are second in quantity of precipitation: 

 33.58 inches. The central area fares worst, with 

 28.95 inches, while the northern section of the Lower 

 Peninsula receives 30 inches. Summer droughts 

 are not unknown, although normally the rainfall 



