5 
BROOM-CORN EXPERIMENTS AT WOODWARD, OKLAHOMA. 
falls. The nature and distribution of the rainfall will be better un- 
derstood by a careful study of the data in Table IJ, containing the 
records of daily precipitation, with monthly totals, throughout the 
five years from 1914 to 1918, inclusive. 
The annual precipitation has been sufficient to produce good 
broom-corn crops in almost all the years during which these experi- 
ments have been conducted, but in several seasons high yields and 
brush of good quality were not obtained. These poor yields are 
correlated in some measure with unfavorable distribution of the 
larger and more important rains. 
Distribution may be unfavorable in several ways. Much of the 
annual rainfall may come within a short period either at the begin- 
ning, in the middle, or near the end of the season. The seasonal 
rainfall may be sufficient in quantity but poorly distributed. Some 
month may be unusually wet, followed by a long dry spell. Such 
a condition occurred in 1914, when May was wet and June and July 
were dry, and again in 1916, when June was wet and July was 
entirely without precipitation. 
Still another condition may occur in which the rainfall is fay 
evenly distributed in point of time and about sufficient in quantity 
and yet be unsuitable for crop production. This is when it occurs 
in light showers which do not penetrate the soil and are soon evap- 
orated. Showers amounting to half an inch or even more may add 
little or no water to the soil if followed by high winds and bright 
sunshine, which cause rapid evaporation. The season of 1918 is a 
good example of this condition, as may be seen in Table II. While 
a number of showers fell from June to August, inclusive, only two 
afforded more than temporary relief to the crop. 
Taste II.—Daily and monthly precipitation at Woodward, Ok!Ia., 
o-year period from 1914 to 1918, inclusive. 
during the 
{Data (in inches) furnished by the observer of the United States Weather Bureau at 
Woodward. T=trace. ] 
Date Jan. | Feb. | Mar.| Apr. | May. /|June. | July.| Aug.| Sept.| Oct. | Nov.| Dec. 
1914 
MP eee a ay Sea rarerase| ose cic) eee a | Sebel lnqeioae a A= | ORE hoo) aes ese oee | cemeteries 
Dogo SGDge SNe goo SORES HAS Caer es eases (Seiee 0.11 | 2.00} T GUC PD ie es Se sec iat see mmc 
PS irs oe Sam Seraseidi. s s[oc cineslocee $a| se sees a7) lool \eancas HOES See era een ese U Bese eee eee 
He 85656 S GSEs CHES screen (ete [emeemenscy eres (eee ereraes Weel Seace dk Gs | see er feel cs 
5). Abotdad sae Sena en ae eases | Are 0.04} T 22 ey Beas Be See ORST sacs carer eae 0. 21 
Ghee races Sane ass aoscesce Tees ales) Mk Ae Fie Mies [ues OSS || SPS esaee 06 
226) eee [Bobet (eee |Soeseee GD EU = ed Bl eee a cea “06 0.05 | .02 
RR See refeene so te hoods a) au eds oles ee face oes) Soaces AEE eects 1 ceed (eI eRe Iles acme dt 
$2203 35652 Shose ss og SS capes SE bHel Besuc||&eess|beem—rllsceecuieagene |coeses ell) beoonclloceesdliaesmae 4b 
LD) 3.4 6h SSeSO SOU SOI Ie teers [emia] essa sel lee ities OS ae Foonce slooeepdleedoaalloocosollssdsce zy 
Miles ass soi <5 ein 5 tc eI eSeaaditeseed A Gta | rere at | Secs sees os all arya hc|| wie ew sa 3207 |Ree ase | 
ee. Shee ate ae Roses Spee neers OAS Genser ose eee clears Seley cr heen e- SAG eesceral pase eel nares 
Loco ce cost Sggbe apa sEpS Eee seas JOSE Ses ace eer sa ectiee Soe ys[= Sac cc lems = OSE |wencks Tee 
Heme ee see se cess a] co 22a | Se See s| te Rake ae eeS Wee eee saeco clioerecis < i) ee ieee Pees eens 
Mee cre ee ci sseee ce classe co|Seteeele coe) Gases: 5230): | Obie ae ean ceceae Ssercal acess bora cc - 06 
Blac st nd cach doch Sep See eee |S cl Peearree| ISteree- ae S085 if =s0B hi 6scscd Besane Seis: baospd|sesnec aT 
icc SES eas SORES Coke eee eee O24) llnaeaes Soe tes (0 Wh leases Dae ove sleaeceas| eee Seeeee ay 
US) 6 cas GORE GARG aS eaeerae eee SP Hiles esc ROQM Sera QR aa se MPS [lssGacslsstoadlocododlooudec dh 
