Wichita eagle., 1888-12-11
CULTIVATION AND RAINFALL.
Mcpherson Freeman.

| MCPHERSON Freeman.
| Increased rainfall on the western
| plains, with settlement and cultivation,
| seems from observation to be verified.
| In its primitive state the country from
the Missouri river to the Rocky noun.
| tains was vast plain covered with buff
| falo grass. From exposure to the atmoS-
phere, the surface of this region before
being disturbed with the pillow, is very
light color, while the grass that covers
| 1T becomes, by the time 1t natures IN
midsummer, also light color, the stems
| like broom straws, round and shiny, Civ
ing the plain. by July. an almost white
and dazzling appearance, converting 1t
| into great reflector, covering vast ex-
tent Of territory. As an implanted tin
roof or stubblefeld reflects the
suns rays, so do the unbroken
plains of the west. covered
with their almost white coat
ing of buffalo grass. The tin roof when
painted, and the stubblefield when
plowed, each cease to reflect the suns
rays. A July wind from a stubblefield
Is heated to a point considerably above
that which comes from an adjacent
field of corn or grass, the light surface
rays and heat back into the atmosphere,
while the green covering of the other is
an absorbent, taking up instead Of throw
ing back the heat. To claim that the al
| titude of the western plains is above the
rain belt is a mistake. as there is rainfall
part of the season and generally suffi
Gent from April to July to make stalks
promising good crop, the loss Of the
crop occurring from the lack of rain nee
essary to mature the ear of corn in the
months of July and August. In the late
spring and early summer the suns
| heat is not SO intense. and the green
prairieS not acting as refectant, the
atmosphere does not become so heated
as when the color Of the plains change,
rejecting instead of absorbing the rays
of the sun. The heated atmosphere be-
comes highly rariged and expanding
| extends upward to greater distance in
the higher than in the lower attitudes,
| for the reason that there is less atmOs-
pherlc weight above to keep the heated
strata pressed down to the earth in the
REGION of the plains, than in the lower
regions along the coast.
| The plains acting as great reflector
keep this heated atmosphere constant
ly arising without any counterfeit
ing force to cool the ascending cur
rents; whereas green fields and woods
not only do not throw back the heat Of
the suns rays. but cool the ascending
currents from the moisture in their foil
age. As this heated strata of atmOs-
phere spreading over the plains arises, 1t
dissipates the mist in the upper strata as
heated stove dlssipates drop of water
that falls upon it. This heated atmos-
phere of the plains ascending to great
height, forces the mist or clouds to such
an elevation that they are driven Oft by
the winds that are set blowing by reason
of the greatly rarified air, rendered so by
the vast radiator of heat, tbs buffalo
grass covered plains. 1t is well
known that clouds of apparent equal
density in all parts, overshadowlng a
large ARA on the western plains fire.
ouently shed their water only along the
course of streams. The streams and the
bottom lands on either side send up
moist and cool current of air, and this
coming in contact with the mist of the
upper strata produces just the condition
necessary to cause the mist to form into
drops when precipitation takes place;
whereas the buffalo grass covered prairie
acting as a reflector sends up dry,
heated current that dissipates the mist
and no rainfall occurs. The clouds pass
Ing over the land shed rain whenever
and wherever the conditions of the
currents ascending from the earth's
surface are such as to cause
the mist to form into rain drops.
When these ascending currents
are unnaturally heated, as they are by
the heat of the suns rays, thrown back
by this great buffalo plains radiator, the
conditions necessary to rain are wanting.
Flowing turns under the buffalo grass
and changes the color of the earths sur
face, and hence destroys this great ra
diator of the western plains.
Vegetation which holds green through
the season, not only takes the place of
the reflector, but by constant exudation
moistens and cools the atmosphere, ar
tificiai ponds have the same influence.
The surface of our western pralrleS so
compact, sheds water like house roof,
but broken, the soil gamers the
spring rains, giving off the moisture
later, and with vegetation working
a change in atmospheric temperature.
An effort to grow tender plant with a
/ tin reflector near it on the north would
prove a failure The soil might be good
enough, but the reflector would have to
be removed. SO with our western plains.
the soil is good but the reflector must be
destroyed, and in its stead the elements
substituted that will have a cooling
effect upon the atmosphere. In May the
atmosphere is not so heated, the buffalo
grass is green, the reflector not SO strong
and rainfall occurs. In July the atmos-
phere becomes heated, the buffalo grass
matured ana of very light color, be-
comes a strong reflector and rains fail,
yet clouds are perhaps as frequent as
they were in May.