CLIMATIC AND SOIL CONDITIONS. 



13 



CLIMATIC AND SOIL CONDITIONS OF NEBRASKA. 

 RATNFALL. 



For details concerning the rainfall the reader is referred to Bulletin 

 No. 15 of the Nebraska Station, "The Rainfall of Nebraska," by 

 G. D. Swezey and George A. Loveland. Since the amount and dis- 

 tribution of the rainfall is one of the most important factors in deter- 

 mining the agricultural possibilities of a country, it is well to 

 summarize here the chief points as indicated in that bulletin. 



The annual rainfall decreases from 34 inches in the extreme south- 

 east to 13 inches in the extreme southwest. However, the average 

 rainfall does not tell the whole story. Much depends upon the distri- 

 bution of rain through the year, and especially during the growing 



16 21 Z* 27 30 



Fig. 7. — Normal annual rainfall for Nebraska, in inches. 



season. The average rainfall for the entire State is 23.33 inches, of 

 which 16.08 inches, or 69 per cent, falls in the five months from April 

 to August, inclusive. 



Table II. — Average monthly precipitation for Nebraska. 



Month. 



January . 

 February 

 March . . . 

 April 



Precipi- 

 tation. 



Inches. 



0.68 



.71 



1.16 



2.40 



Month. 



May . . . 

 June .. 

 July... 

 August 



Precipi- 

 tation. 



Inches. 

 3.62 

 3.93 

 3.51 

 2.62 



Month. 



September 

 October. . . 

 November 

 December 



Precipi- 

 tation. 



Inches. 

 1.84 

 1.49 

 .68 



An examination of the table and of the accompanying charts (figs. 

 7 and 8) shows that it is only in the eastern tier of counties, lying 

 approximately within the region receiving as much as 30 inches average 

 rainfall, that the common eastern meadow and pasture grasses, such as 

 timothy, red clover, redtop, and Kentucky bluegrass, will thrive with 



