156 



THIRD ANNUAL SESSIONS 



fall of a district is the normal based upon observations carried on for at 

 least ten years. 



Information for Homeseekers. 



"The homeseeker who buys land without a knowledge of the normal 

 rainfall in the immediate district where his prospective farm is located, 

 runs a very great risk. This information can generally be quickly ob- 

 tained without cost, simply by applying to the weather bureau. 



Effect of Precipitation on Yields. 



"The monthly distribution of rainfall is often quite as important a 

 factor in the crop production as the total amount of rain. A small annual 

 rainfall properly distributed through the growing season has often pro- 

 duced crops equal to those obtained with a much larger rainfall that was 

 poorly distributed. Again practically the same rainfall distributed 

 through the season in different ways will have a marked effect upon the 

 yield. 



Experiment Stations. 



"The effect of the distribution of the rainfall is well illustrated in 

 the accompanying precipitation chart for Highmore, South Dakota (Fig. 

 3). The abundant rainfall during August, 1906, was sufficient to produce 

 RAIN FALL HIGHMORE SOUTH DAK. 



TEU 



iCKES 



APR 



MAY 



JUNE 



JULY 



AUG. 



SEPT. 





•oe 



2 

 1 



2.8 



6.0 



2.6 



1.2 



6.7 



2.8 



20.6 

 4.7 

 26.2 















.1 . 



-ri, 



. .I.L 



. 1 . 





u 





•07 



2 

 1 



0.7 



6.1 







8.6 



0.3 



1.0 



12.3 

 6.0 

 17.3 

















1. 



1... I 



1 



..ii 



LiJ iLjiJi . 







<06 



t 



f 



1.6 



2.7 



6.8 



2.6 



&6 



0.6 



16.7 

 6.7 

 22.4 

















1. 1 



i .1 





tT7 



ll 



1 1 



MX. 



Fig. 3. 



a fine crop, the average station yield being over forty-three bushels 

 per acre. In 1907, the corn crop at the same station was very poor, owing 

 to the almost complete absence of rainfall during the month of August. 

 The yield of wheat at the same station during the past three years has 

 been nearly uniform, since no dry weather developed until after the crop 

 was ready for harvest. 



Experiment Station. 



"The importance of a proper distribution of fall rains where winter 

 grains are grown is shown in the rainfall chart for North Platte, 



