The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-02-21
Climatic Changes Caused by Cultiyas
tiOn OF Lands.


tiOn OF Lands.
*IH bits8 5n- 8laS I'll la
The following is from paper lately
read by Prof. G. d. Wilbur before the
Nebraska State Horticultural Society: /
We have seen in, Nebraska and Kan
sas during the last 20 years a decided
change of surface vegetation, or grass
es. During that period many thousands
of square miles, once covered with
sparse buffalo grass, are now luxuriant
with thick matted prairie grass. This
change is SO important in many re-
spects that we invite particular atten-.
ton to it. The chief agent or produce
ing cause of this wonderful transformar
ton of surface, is the gradual western
progress of the army Of farmers p In
general, arid regions, deserts and dry
plains perpetuate themselves, and be-
cause they have attained an apparent {
permanence are considered eternal. A
desert, however, is the result Of condil y
tions that can be controlled by the .ge-
MUS and industry Of man, Let us see
how it is done. .bt8Fs41 7ssfIoj
On our Western border-line of settle
ments the pioneer with his plow turns
over the sol, or sod if there be any, lit {
may be 100 or 400 acres. This area is .
planted to corn or sown with wheat,
oats, rye, or barley. In due time arises
a living surface of dark green which is
at the same time a condensing surface
because it does not receive the. heat of
the sun during the day, while at night it
is alreadycool and permits a heavier dew 4
to descend upon it. This pioneer farmer
has neighbors on the north and south
who are doing precisely the same kind
Of work-that is, by their farming they
are changing the hot, dry surface to a, {
col, ,condensing surface. This work ex- r,
tends by common consent along line Of 7"
1880 miles, from the British possessions n
to the Gulf of Mexico, until the new con-
densing surface is a strip, say 10 miles =
in width by 1880 miles in length, ac-
cording to the wave Of immigration for
the year previous. 1t is easy to predict q
the inevitable climatic changes that q,
must follow the changed condition of
surface. The moisture contained in the
atmosphere over this new-made surface
of living green will not dissipate and /
pass away with the winds as formerly,
but win condense, by the well known
law, both as dew at night and into clouds
under the influence of electric currents.
With the clouds comes precipitation,
which will be greatly increased as the !
eondensing surface increases by the con-
stant efforts of the farmer to enlarge his
domain of crops. 1tf r. I ri
IN The prarie grasses are the first to re-
ceiVe the impetus indicated, and Accord
ingly their westward march has been l
very rapid within the last % years. The
width of new territory occupied
by these grasses, displacing of
course the dry or buffalo grass, is,
in Southern Nebraska, 100 miles \;
in the space of 25 or 80 years, accord
ing to the statement of early settlers.
This condensing or cool crop-surface
as in the Eastern States, which are now O
under, laws of. precipitation that have
but little variation from year to year.
We know that this work has. been
wrought by the hand of the farmer from
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 viii doubtless make d stride longer
than ever toward the foot hills of the
Rocky Mountains. The amount of rain
fall per year is steadily increasing west {
of the. Missouri River The average, for {.
nine years past at Omaha, is 20 inches.
With the year ending june, 1877, itEwasl
3S. inches in. Southeast Nebraskaan
amount equal to the average Of North
erns Illinois. From similaf) Statistics vet
tare able to show that the rainfall is
steadily increasing westward, following
the pioneer farmersand his plow, which
! is The primal cause of these beneheept
changes. ,., t..,f.,
II .5WEsdon't T think there is any partictls'
lar harm in. round dances, unless you
are dancing round d saloon or another
I mans wife. RzssnsUiek Nsfgss d a85l,
1 miss Hannah Rothsnhiid hasa snug
little fortune of S15, 100000.