Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1880-09-04
THE DODGE CITY TIMES.
DODGE CITY. SATURDAY. SEPT. 4.
ABOUT RAIN.


given the subject of rainfall much attention,
writes to an Eastern journal az follows:
"All signs fails in dry times" This Is
an old adsge that was supposed to indicate
an exception TO natural lsw- But obserya-
ton and experience prove it IL perfectly in
accordance with it. Drought produces
drought. This appears from the fact that
the dry ground which is consequent In dry
weather does not possess the medium Of at
traction COR the moisture In the atmosphere.
Hence when il begins to rain this sign OF
continual drought cease, and as farmers say,
trains easy" The theory is false that there
is no moisture in the atmosphere. 1t is
there, but in dry time il does not precipi-
tate. 1t comes over US and then scatters
and leaves u.s. drawn away by the attraction
which abundant wet affords in other iocali-
ties. Who has not observed that showers
follow rivers Why? 1t is because of this
medium Of attraction. The moisture rising
from the rivers form medium Tor the wa
iers above the earth TO unite with the wa
tiers on the earth. Now what We need on
all OF these over dry plains is some artificial
method of getting the ground once Wet or
moist, so that it may attract and hold the
moisture ia the atmosphere. Prof Hills
plan of artesion wells is good so far as Il
goes. Congress has done good thing in
helping us TO experiment in this direction.
Irrigation, when greatly extended, helps
TO produce a state OF atmosphere so that but
little irrigation is needed. Ii ia fact, that
an irrigating ditch that is sufficient for
limited number of tarms, when first con-
tracted, is ample for a greater number with
out any increase OF its capacity, in few
wears. This is attributed TO the increased
amount OF moisture retained by the earth
when il is irrigated. 1t has been observed
that very much is gained where irrigation
is needed by thoroughly wetting the ground
in the fall, when no crops are on the ground.
The moisture is thus ret lined in the ground
all winter, and not so much is needed to
start vendure in the spring. 1t was COM
mon when We first knew Colorado, for
wheat to lie in the ground from harvest till
the next spring, without even sprouting, the
ground was then so very dry. There GER
ta:nly has been change in this respect.
Kansas is now smiling from the efforts OF
frequent rains, and crops that were supposed
past recovery in many places are reviving,
70 that fair crop is hoped for where moth
ing was expected few weeks ago. This
year is peculiar year in other States than
Kansas. New Jersey is suffering from
drought as she has not before for years.
There are natural causes for this that are
daily being discovered. Constant cultiva-
ton produces green vegetation which like
sponge absorbs the moisture in the at
mosphere, and the more we get srtiicially
the more we shall have naturally. So there
is such thing as assisting nature to produce
rain.
Another fact which should be noticed by
those who are wondering at the productive
ness of our naturally dry climate, is the law
Of compensation, by WEIGH nature has given
Va soil composed of such Ingredients that
il is remarkably Tetentive of moisture when
il obtains ii. As an illustration o this law
l would state that / have seen whest this
season produced in Kansas, that averages
on 100 acres over two feet in hight, with
well filled heads fully three inches long,
tina, has not had but one rain ON il since it
was sown, about the middle OF last September.
The American Consul at Geneva says