Sharp County record., 1878-03-15
Climatic Changes Caused By Cultt7a-
tfgu Gi LaRfs.

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The f7I-ovfrx + from . paper -41e-7
rad 5z Prof C.. D. Wilbur 1erl-9 The
Es5rLsks ,za-e H1-ri1lL-ur2L coc-5lE
We Eav. seen IN Nebraska 4lt hAc-
as 4-rIlr TIE Lls1 - YEARS Gecld7d
change 0t surface 7-geI1'I1-- 9r Zr-'s-
IS During that period many thousands
u square niles, once coT3t7'l WIN
sparse buffalo grass LIE now -1Z1rL-1l
With thick matted prairie grass --s
change Is so important In man! rz-
poets tLaa we invite particular l1lsn-
ton 20 It. The cl-zi agent Of pc71l1-
nc c4use Of 1lis wonderful -r1lsrJ ,--l l.
1i5n 1t surface. Is tie gr4tI4- western
progress OF the army 0[ IacL7ts- N
GENERAL. arid regions, deserts and dry
plains peruecuste themselves and be-
caCse they have attained III apparent
pern4uance are considered eternal !
desert. however. : the result Of c01tI-
ti11s that can be controlled by the ge-
Illus aud industry Of man- Lei u see
how II L done
On our Western o0r1er--ine Of se-I-e-
meHls the piozse- with his p-1W Curus
over the soil. OF sod il Ehece be any, L
may be 100 0r-lIO acres This area L
planted - eayz or s0wu with wheat
0acs. rye, or barley In due time arises
q living surface Of dark green which L
1t the same time q clct=Ls-1g surface
because II does not receive the heat o-
the sun during the day, while aI night L-
Is already cool and permits q heavier dew
TO descend upon It. This pioneer farmer
has neigh10rs On the north aud south
who are doing precisely the same kind
Of w0rk-thaG is, by their farming they
are changing the hot, dry surface TO 3
cool, I,c0ndensing surface. This WORK eZ-
tends bT common consent along line Of
1900 miles, from the British possessions
to the Gull q Mexico, until the new con-
densing surface i Z s-rlo, say 10 miles
IN width BY 1.5UQ miles in length, ac-
c1rding to the wave Of immigration for
the wear previous. It i easy TO predict
the fueTitabLa climatic changes that
must follow the changed condition Of
surface. The moisture contained IN the
atmosphere over this new-made surface
Of living green will not di-sip4re and
pass away with the winds as formerly,
but will condense, by the well known
law. both a=dew at night and into clouds
under the influence OF electric currents.
With the clouds comes precipitation,
which will be greatly increased as the
cOndensing surface increases by the con-
slant efforts Of the farmer TO enlarge his
domain Of crops
The prarie grasses are the first to re-
ceive the impetus indicated, and accord
ingIv their westward march mas been
very rapid within the last 2j Years. The
width Of new territory occupied
by these grasses, dispLacing Of
course the dry or buffalo grass, Is,
in Southern Nebraska, 80 miles
in the .spai Q II % or 30 years, accord
fng c6 ~ Statement Of early settlers.
This condensing or cool crop-surface
once established becomes permanent,
as in the Eastern States, which are now
under laws Of precipitation that have
but little variation from wear TO year.
We know that this work has been
wrought by the hand Of the farmerfrOm
the middle Of Minnesota, Iowa and
Missouri, and extends 400 to 800 miles
west into Dakota, Nebraska and Kan
sas. We know that it Is still extending
every year, and that in this year (1878)
it will doubtless make q stride longer
than ever toward the foothills Of The
Rocky Mountains. The amount Of rain.
fall per wear IS steadily increasing west
Of the Missouri River. The average, fol
nine years past at Omaha, IS % inches
With the year ending June, 1871, it wa.
- inches in Southeast Nebraska-aL
amount equal to the average Of North
ern Illinois. From similar statistics we
are able to show that the rainfall i;
steadily increasing westward, following
the pioneer farmer and his pLOw, which
is the primal cause Of these benefcent
changes.