THE DOMAIN FOR DRY FARMING 59 



Other weather condition in dry areas. In addition 

 to the amount of the precipitation and the time at which 

 it falls, other weather conditions that merit attention 

 include: (1) the manner of the precipitation; (2) the 

 nature of the temperature, and (3) the character of the 

 winds. 



The value of the precipitation is largely dependent 

 on the way in which it falls. It renders far greater 

 service to agriculture when it falls gently and for a 

 prolonged period than when it comes as a downpour. 

 Falling thus, much of it is lost to the soil. Rain is said 

 to be torrential when it falls at the rate of an inch or 

 more per hour. When it falls thus the larger portion of 

 it may be lost even on summer-fallowed land. To lessen 

 such loss, the ground is left more or less rough, and it is 

 supplied with vegetable matter, as for instance the straw 

 of headed grain plowed in. When rain falls in the winter 

 and early spring, it is seldom torrential. When it falls 

 in the summer, it is more likely to be so. The Great 

 Basin is more subject to this form of precipitation than 

 the other areas of the dry country. 



More of the precipitation comes as snow in northern 

 areas and on high elevations, the highest precipitation 

 falling on the elevations. Even on the northern areas 

 of the Great Plains country the snowfall is not heavy. 

 The benefit which it brings to the soil is largely dependent 

 on the degree of the frost and on how the . snow is 

 removed. Little frost in the soil and slow melting may 

 result in saving to the soil nearly all the resultant 

 moisture. When conditions the opposite are present, 

 the greater portion may be lost. 



The worst form in which the precipitation can come 

 is in the form of hail. The Great Plains area is most 

 subject to these visitations. In some instances hail storms 

 are very destructive. 



