THE DRY FARMING CONGRESS. 



185 



Topographical Effects. 



"In this semi-arid section of the country three general regions may 

 be recognized: 1st, the plains region, extending from the 98 meridian 

 to the mountain foot hills; 2nd, the intermountain region including the 

 valleys and foothills of the mountain country; and 3rd, the coast region, 

 beyond the Sierras. These regions vary in regard to their rainfall and 

 other climatic conditions. 



Plains Region 



"The Plains Region gets its maximum rainfall during the months of 

 April, May, June and July, one-half of the rainfall of the year coming in 

 these months and frequently one-third of the rainfall of the year coming 

 in May and June, or June and July. The rains are spasmodic and often 

 come in heavy showers and torrental storms. More or less vs^ind is gen- 

 erally blowing and the sun shines nearly 300 days in the year. 



Coast Region. 



"In the Coast region the rains come almost wholly in the winter 

 season, and the late spring and early summer months are dry. There is, 

 too, much more cloudy weather than in the plains region. There is little 

 excessive heat and the nights generally bring dew. 



Mountain Region. 



"The intermountain region is somewhat intermediate between the 

 Plains and Coast regions, some parts approaching the coast and other 

 parts the plains region in the time and character of its rainfall. Again, 

 in this region, the rainfall varies much in different localities and val- 

 leys. The higher plateaus and valleys generally get considerable more 

 rain and snow than the lower valleys, and the foot hills more than the 

 bottom lands. Generally the easterly side of the valley more than the 

 western side. There are valleys in Montana when on one side the average 

 rainfall is over 18 inches, while on the other side of the valley, 25 or 

 30 miles away, the average rainfall is not over 15 inches. I know a dis- 

 trict where the wind has a full sweep for many miles unchecked by a 

 mountain range and the rainfall is only ten to eleven inches per year; 

 while not more than 50 miles away on the western slope of a mountain 

 range, and some 1,000 feet higher in the air, the rainfall is 20 inches 

 per year. 



"In this intermountain region, too, the winds are not usually excess- 

 ive, nor is the sun very hot as a rule, especially in the higher and more 

 northern valleys. 



Sunshine Effects. 



"As I have thought and studied over this subject, it has appealed to 

 me that another divis'on of these regions may help us to appreciate bet- 

 ter the problems to be solved, and so I would divide each of these reg- 

 ions into a northern and southern. To the north we find a cooler climate, 

 with a relatively moister a"r, and thus less evaporation. The winds also 

 are less frequent and generally blow from a northerly or westerly direc- 



