BARLEY IN THE GREAT PLAINS AREA. 5 
Seasonal variation in climatic factors is probably more important 
t haii difference in methods of tillage. This is shown by the fact that 
in some years climatic conditions at some stations are such that all 
methods result in failures. In other years all methods may give 
fair returns. At some stations the greatest actual increases in yield 
as a result of tillage methods is usually obtained under the most 
favorable climatic conditions. In Table I are given the maximum, 
minimum, and average annual and seasonal precipitation and sea- 
sonal evaporation. By seasonal is meant the time between the aver- 
age seeding and the average harvesting dates. No attempt is made 
to show other climatic factors, though all are important. 
Table I. 
-Annual and seasonal precipitation and seasonal evaporation at fourteen sta- 
tions in the Great Plains area. 1 
Station. 
Alti- 
tude 
(feet). 2 
Precipitation (inches). 3 
Annual. 
Mini- 
mum. 
Maxi- 
mum. 
Aver- 
age. 
Seasonal. 
Mini- 
mum. 
Maxi- 
mum. 
Aver- 
Seasonal evaporation 
(inches). 3 
Mini- 
Maxi- 
mum. 
mum. 
19.117 
26. 273 
19.820 
20. 594 
21.104 
28. 269 
18. 379 
27. 366 
17.664 
25. 362 
20.111 
24. 248 
23. 627 
33. 906 
24.698 
26. 647 
25. 954 
36. 255 
25. 917 
32. 691 
29. 390 
41.317 
33.315 
38. 926 
33. 381 
41.002 
32. 305 
40. 704 
Aver- 
Judith Basin. 
Huntley 
Williston 
Dickinson 
Edgeley 
Hettinger 
Belle Fourche 
Scottsbluff... 
North Platte. 
Akron 
Hays 
Garden City.. 
Dalhart 
Amarillo 
4,228 
3,000 
1,875 
2,543 
1,468 
2,253 
2,950 
3,950 
3,000 
4,6C0 
2,050 
2,900 
4,000 
3,676 
14.96 
11.92 
10.28 
11.93 
11.94 
12.72 
6.64 
13.77 
11.18 
14.51 
15.59 
11.82 
13.69 
10.69 
23.78 
11.92 
18.99 
21.22 
21.95 
15.68 
17.73 
18.51 
23.01 
22.46 
27.80 
23.58 
16.35 
27.80 
18.06 
11.92 
14.84 
16.69 
16.71 
14.20 
13.11 
16.14 
18.05 
18.28 
21.30 
18.54 
15.11 
18.28 
6.50 
5.00 
5.62 
5.31 
5.08 
8.82 
1.92 
5.50 
4.38 
5.32 
3.87 
5.01 
4.54 
5.03 
10.90 
7.35 
12.00 
16.27 
15. 73 
12.89 
12.75 
8.26 
11.25 
9.52 
12.87 
8.16 
14.86 
11.49 
8.62 
6.18 
8.31 
10.06 
9.60 
10.69 
21.330 
20. 207 
24. 705 
22. 377 
20. 657 
22. 430 
27. 220 
25. 718 
30. 253 
28. 781 
32.628 
35. 332 
38. 596 
36. 709 
1 The years covered are the same as for the data shown in the other tables for each station. 
a The altitude given is for the field where the work was done and is based in most cases on that of the 
nearest town. 
3 The record of annual precipitation for 1914 is not included. The records of seasonal precipitation and 
evaporation for 1914 are included for all stations, the evaporation being figured from Apr. 1 to July 31. 
The seasonal rainfall is the amount from Apr. 1 to July 31 for stations north of and including that at Belle 
Fourche. For stations south of Belle Fourche it is the amount between Mar. 1 and June 30. Evaporation 
measurements are made from a free water surface, in a tank sunk into the soil to almost its full depth. 
The water surface is kept about level with the surface of the ground. 
GENERAL PLAN OF THE INVESTIGATIONS. 
In the work at the various stations barley has been grown under 
a number of different tillage methods, but has not occupied as many 
plats as the other crops. 
The same variety of barley has been grown on all the plats seeded 
to that crop at the same station during the same year. The aim has 
been to grow a variety adapted to the local conditions at the station 
where it has been grown. Different varieties have been grown at dif- 
ferent stations. At some stations a 6-rowed barley has been used, 
some stations have used a 2-rowed barley, and some have used a hull- 
less variety. It is possible that in some cases the variety grown may 
