UNIVERSITY FARM. 
449 
unusually late. Corn was generally planted in good season ; but 
the small amount of rain-fall during the fall and winter following 
the dry summer of 1871, left the soil in poor condition to with¬ 
stand the drought which began nearly as soon as crops were plant¬ 
ed, and continued until September 22d. This drought, although 
quite general throughout the state, seemed to be more severe upon 
a territory having its centre near Madison, with a radius of about 
fifteen miles. 
My journal during the summer is composed mostly of such 
entries as the following: “July 1st, very dry.” “Juty 13th, 
crops suffering badly from drouth. Oats, barley and spring wheat 
much worse on account of late sowing. Potato-oats will be an 
entire failure.” “July 17th, still drier. Corn badly rolled. Beet- 
tops lie flat upon the ground,” etc. The light grain and small 
yield of our crops are a sufficient comment upon the serious effect 
of this long, dry period. 
Dr. I. A. Lapham has kindly furnished me with the rain-fall at 
Milwaukee, as recorded by the U. S. Signal Service. The follow¬ 
ing table gives the amounts of each month from May to August 
inclusive, for Milwaukee and Madison: 
May. 
June. 
July. 
August. 
Total. 
Milwaukee... 
Inches. 
3.11 
2.83 
Inches. 
3.67 
2.44 
Inches. 
2.05 
1.26 
Inches. 
1.89 
2.24 
Inches. 
10.72 
8.77 
Madison.... 
Milwaukee recived nearly one-fourth more rain during these 
# 
months than fell at Madison. 
More than six-tenths of all the winds observed at this point for 
the past four years, come from the southwest, west, northwest and 
north. From all these directions, the wind must pass for a great 
distance over regions comparatively dry, and as has been shown 
by the U. S. Signal Service, winds even reach us that have passed 
over the vast mountain ranges west of the plains. All such winds 
must necessarily come to us as dry winds. In my opinion, we 
must expect the climate of our state to be dry. From its location, 
29 
