144 



AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 



average annual rainfall, the number of periods of 15 days or more 

 with less than i inch of rainfall, and the total number of days in the 

 ten years that droughts extended over the 1 5-day period. 



No day* counted till after a is-day period with less than i inch of rain. 



Of the north-central states, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana are 

 probably the most favored states in the country from an agricultural 

 point of view, and their common field crops are comparatively little 

 injured by drought, though the more delicate fruit and vegetable crops 

 suffer more. In Michigan, Wisconsin, and the northeastern part of 

 Minnesota the needs of irrigation are much greater. The upland 

 soils are a mixture of coarse and fine glacial materials, porous and non- 

 resistant to drought, yet responsive to tillage and adapted to the 

 growing of garden truck, berries, hardy fruits, hay, legumes, and 

 sugar beets when moisture is applied. The lowland soils are sedi- 

 mentary and vary in texture from heavy loams to porous peat. When 

 thoroughly drained these soils are adapted to the growing of many of 

 the most valuable crops. The wet condition before drainage does not 

 indicate that the soils are immune from drought. Irrigation and 

 drainage must go hand in hand to insure the greatest returns. For 

 such purposes the water resources of these states are most abundant. 

 Creeks and small rivers abound, and hundreds of lakes, large and 

 small, afford the possibility of constant supplies for wilting crops in 

 dry weather. 



The growing seasons are short and the winters cold and bleak; 

 it is necessary for the farmer to grow his crop without delay or set- 

 back. Late planting caused by a dry spring may result in the crop 

 frozen in the fall In-fore it is matured. In the spring of 1910 

 Wisconsin experienced a drought which did great damage in the 

 1 loS prepared for the setting out of plants stood 

 i'llr f< .vailing for a rain to supply the necessary moisture, 



and when the rain came, at a late date, plants were rushed in on large 

 acreages. This resulted in the maturing of many crops at the same 



