60 
Annual and mean annual precipitation at stations of the Signal Service, U. S. Army, com- 
piled from the commencement of observations to 1884, inclusive. 



| | [ 1 
Stations. | Established. | 1871. | 1872. | 1873. | 1874. | 1875. | 1876. | 1877. | 187s. 
| a | j 2 
| 


Northern Piatean: | | Inches. | Inches.| Inches. | Inches. | Inches.| Inches. \Inches. | Inches. 
Boise Citys laaho-} July A, (Si e222 2e|eaee cee ses she NE tseresee er [ae eee Seon |e ee IR PAL 
Mewistou Cdaloy (Valy 171979 és... s7clh on eee eee | ee ge eee 
Northern Slope: | 
Assinniboine Fort, | | 


Mion Geos OCG 61879 tose. (aoe ee eee eee ee oe ea | es ao sn Pe 
Benton, Fort! | | | 
Montesa Oct. 1119790 | tee 12.32 | 11.95] 10.45| 12.75] (¥ ?) (}) 
Custer, Fort | | 
Monteeen sos" Deoi-75; 1878y Pe FS alae ers eee wero ooeee lemetonese | eee ease ae eee ened eee eee 
Helena, Mont 5.| Oct. 15, 1879) | 52-2225] oe ces oshes ake ceil sears oe ore ore eiete pao eeeiatele Seal eee oie 
Maginnis, Fort, | 
110 1 ae Sth CAS beled eee Aa erese lescanod MH Ase eee aces somes 8 5) eeseos-|.sosceoe 
Poplar River, | | | 
Monit: = 1a eo Soe May 21, 188245) Sass 0 5) coe ce ms ec ererer= | eres che co revere | eos, ler | ieee eer 
Shaweahortavlents| Aprile ob SS0r a. cx a. ea Penta eae els ear ee allele es real yore een pet | ee 
Cheyenne, Wyo-; Nov. 1, 1870 9°23.) 1324851" 10504: OTN L210 SV o039 i is ae | 12. 64 


















Middle Slope: | | 
Denver. Colossssl" Nov 19 87i sto... 18.05 | 11.81 | 13.46] 37.25) 20.12) 16.38} 15.51 
IRikeismeak Color NOv.- lel Siioi|seccmeee lee teieee PR oaaaes | 26.86 | 24.74 | 23.87 | 25.58 | 42.87 
West Las Ani- | | | 
mas, Colo..-.--- | Oct. 1,1881 | ese ees ee ee ee aeaaees [Seanmece eres eae ee 1S eee 
| | | | Mean annual. 
Stations. | Established.| 1879. ; 1880. | 1881. ; 1882. | 1883..; 1884. |— 
| Years. | Inches. 
| 
| | : 
Northern Plateau: | : Inches. | Inches.| Inches.| Inches.| Inches. | Inches. 
Boisé City,Idaho., July 1, 1877 172630 eel 0466) |hel3soGn|| el4e43 @) | 21.05 6 14. 59 
Lewiston, Idaho.| July 1, 1879 |....... S41 | 200560|) V4 STAs le Tosc3 ee odie 5 18. 05 
Northern Slope: 
Assinniboine, | | 
INTHE, AY hare wood OYei ra ies Coit) tenes sl Gn oeaana esses coe 12. 76 5S 10/5) 252.67 3 17. 84 
Benton, Fort, | 
Montes s-:.25:| Oct. 11, 1879 () (7) 16/915 \— GLO0.18: | 13. 010) 5G) | 7 12. 50 
Custer, Fort, | ; | | | 
IMONtsee ees: Decmasl 8734 seers ee 19.65 | 11.88 | 12.05] 13.84; 16.60 = a) 14. 80 
Helen seNlomb= a |aOCbiLo, L879 |e seas nee ee 19.94 | 10.32 (4) 19.18 | 3 16.48 
Maginnis, Fort, ; 
Monies oses- SS ULy 14682 oe Se Fee ee on |) eee es ree ae 13.29 | 9.00 | 2 11.14 
Poplar River, | | 
Mion tase sse.- = le Maly. 1918823) saeee a2 |e sense ase = [Se eee G22 10825 2 8. 24 
Shaw, Fort,Mont.! April1, 1880 |...-.- Vs | ey ete et 14.77.) 14.21 | 12.64! 13.64 | 4 18. 82 
Cheyenne, Wyo-.| Nov. 1, 1870 7.34 S538) BT88 |) 285645) 19.255) aloos 9 14 11. 07 
Middle Slope: | 
Denver, Colo ....| Nov.19,1871 | 10.86 9.58 | 12.78 | 14.49 | 19.49 | 15.07 | 13 14.99 
Pike's Peak,Colo.| Nov. 1,1873 | 39.82 | 40.65 | 44.57] 28.82] 18.17] 9.281 - iE PAL OY, 
West Las Ani- | | | | 
mas, Colo....-.| Oct. 1, 1881 ete ee og eee a | 11.12 | 15.70 | 2 13. 41 
| , | 


1 Record incomplete. 
AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS. 
A well-known writer speaks of the agricultural resources of the 
Rocky Mountain region as follows: 
Generally speaking, those best acquainted with the West make the largest esti- 
mates of its resources and have the most faith in its future. Land, on first sight, of- 
ten appears worthless, which experiment afterwards proves to be fertile. I instance 
the ‘‘Great Columbia Plains” of eastern Washington, where the soil, which varies 
from 1 foot te 20 in depth, is, except in the bottom-lands, a very light-colored loam, 
containing an unusually large percentage of alkalies and fixed acids. A few years 
ago sowing wheat on the soil woul d have been deemed throwing it away; but the 
experiraent resulted in a revelation, viz, that these 14,000,000 acres of peculiar scil 
are probably the best wheat fields in all the world. Other illustrations equally strik- 
ie MCh b VO SLye Ne we eee 

