IRRIGATION AND METEOROLOGY. 
11 
Irrigating the ground surrounding the meteorological instruments 
sensibly affected the readings of the wet bulb thermometer, and I 
am confident that if the evaporation box had been situated any¬ 
where in this vicinity outside the irrigated area, the loss for July 
would have been much greater. That any increase of the irri¬ 
gated area will result in an increased rain fall for that area, is not 
to be believed, as owing to winds, rains seldom, or never fall where 
their moisture is collected. Whatever change may be prod ced 
will most likely to affect the country to the ea-t of us. owing to 
the prevalence of western winds. During the months of June and 
July, the atmosphere takes up from the surface of the Pond re 
district at least one thousand cubic cot of water per second. Add 
to this the amount from the other districts, and it ill be seen that 
several rains for some more favored region, accnniuPJe on t e 
Platte and its tributaries during the season 
November 
February 
March 
April 
n 4) 
May 
June 
July 
Total for If) months 
frJvapora t Um lie< •ore!. 
Rainfall. 
2 :14 
Inches 
December 
1387 
J HUUi ry 
4(5 
4 (55 
5.23 
86.62 
1-86 
October 
Diagram / Uustrating 
Inches per month. 
Total 
i 18 
.86 
. 86 
.23 
45 
l m 
i 23 
1 9(5 
NOTE—Observations continued for four years of the rate of evaporation 
from a box four feet square, three feet deep, near New York City gave a mean 
annual evaporation of 24.15 inches, (he mean annual rainfall for the same time 
i eing 40 inches. 
