RAINFALL. 



179 



miles below the head of the South Concho River, and the water could be 

 taken out and used to irrigate the Lipan Flat, a body of land containing at 

 least half a million acres. The lands in this flat are so situated that this water 

 could be taken to any part of them. There is not a better place for such an 

 enterprise in the State. 



RAINFALL. 



The amount of rainfall necessary to successful agriculture without irriga- 

 tion varies in different parts of the United States. Much more depends upon 

 the distribution of the rainfall than upon the annual amount of precipitation. 



In California, the rainy season is from December to April, and the annual 

 precipitation in inches is given at less than 20. 



In Dakota, the rainfall is in the spring and summer, and is given at 15 

 inches annual precipitation. 



In California agriculture is entirely dependent upon irrigation, while in 

 Dakota the rainfall is sufficient to be useful in raising abundant crops without 

 the aid of irrigation. The following table of rainfall, taken from the record 

 kept at Fort Concho from 1868 to 1889, shows that there have been about 

 four years in which the annual rainfall was below 15 inches; and in the dry- 

 est year the rain fell from April to July, the months when it was most needed 

 for agriculture. In 1888 excellent crops were made in the arid regions of 

 Texas, and the record shows the rainfall to have been 22.08 inches. Of that 

 amount 13.28 inches fell from April to August. In the first five months of 

 1889 the rainfall has been 9.97 inches, which has been as much as desired 

 and the crops never looked better. 



Tear. 



Jan. 



Feb. 



March. 



April. 



May. 



June. 



July. 



Aug. 



Sept. 



Oct. 



Nov. 



Dec. 



1868 









3.27 

 1.10 



4.10 

 3.31 



.40 

 3.76 



7.30 

 .43 



1.86 

 1.94 



2.35 

 .50 



6.40 

 .96 



3.75 

 1.59 



1.69 



1869 



2.55 



.20 



2.41 



1.60 



1870 



.16 



.16 



4.76 



.62 



.26 



4.36 



3.32 



6.90 



9.92 



5.44 



1.24 



.12 



1871 





.54 

 1.20 



2.75 



1.90 

 1.12 



4.40 

 1.86 



.42 

 1.50 



3.79 



2.04 

 2.60 



.90 



.85 



2.78 

 .66 



.44 

 1.66 



.20 



1872 v 



1.28 



.53 



1873 



.16 



.33 



1.60 





4.56 



6.40 



.92 



1.46 



.44 



1.08 



.25 





1874 



.25 



.25 



1.14 



.39 



3.29 



3.05 



.88 



.61 



5.58 



.64 



2.92 



5.80 



1875 



.05 



1.75 



.12 



.50 



1.70 



.64 



5.67 



.22 



1.22 





.36 



2.47 



1876 



1.00 



.32 



.36 



.50 





1.52 



.78 



3.14 



2.84 





.52 



.68 



1877 





.98 

 .10 



.30 



.79 

 2.32 



2.12 



.02 



1.47 

 1.50 



.50 

 4.55 



2.32 



3.60 

 6.70 



1.50 



1.00 

 1.10 



2.00 



1878 







1879 



.50 

 3.90 



".60 



.40 

 1.14 



1 70 

 1.70 



1.10 

 1.15 



3.80 

 3.20 



.50 

 7.60 



4.00 

 3.90 



1.00 

 7.20 



.20 

 2.50 







1880 



.30 



.60 



1881 







.20 



1.46 



6.10 



.10 



.40 



.20 



.70 



2.30 



.50 



1.80 



1882 



.84 



3.38 



.35 



.09 



1.23 



2.09 



4.14 



8.46 



3.59 



.58 



2.05 





1883 







3.16 







.76 



3.39 



2.20 



3.36 



6.04 



.50 



.60 



1884 



.40 



.80 



.50 



4.60 



9.08 



1.87 



2.20 



.96 



2.00 



4.76 



1.86 



6.21 



1885 



1.32 



2.15 



1.35 



3.91 



2 33 



4.22 



1.08 



1.35 



1.90 



.75 





.70 



1886 



.15 



.80 

 .10 



.75 



.48 

 1.76 



.76 

 2.86 



1.60 

 .66 



.36 

 .93 



3.74 



1.88 



.56 

 2.81 



1.35 



1.74 







1887 



1.36 



.98 



1888 



1.10 



1.98 



.92 



3.63 



1.55 



2.50 



3.10 



2.50 



.48 



1.72 



2.20 



.40 



1889 



1.94 



2.57 



1.15 



2.03 



2.28 

































