The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-06
THE CAUSE AND REMEDY OF
ARIDIrY."
To the Editor Of the Eagle.

''Plain belt is due TO a deficiency of
vapor in the air during the most critical
period of crop life, the remedy will be
found in an increase of such vapor.
And if it be true that our crops on
these prairie lands are either totally
destroyed or greatly injured by lack
OF the proper amount of vapor in the air
during few days" of midsummer, the
remedy will be found in better satura-
ton of the air during such period.
1t is not essential or necessary to crop
life, or to secure a satisfactory yield,
that the air should contain the largest
possible amount of the vapOr Of which 1t
is capable. But it must contain a
proper amount" Doubtless careful
examination of the air over the surface
of our globe would disclose a great
/ diresity in the degree of its saturation.
We do not affirm that proper satura-
ton of the air on these prairies, without
rain and moisture on the earth's surface,
would make the land productive. What
is affirmed is this, viz: That it is lack
Of proper amount of vapor in the lower
strata Of the air, on these plains, that IS
! the approximate and main cause of arid
/ ity in this interior belt. The vapor be-
| ing insufficient the rainfall must be light.
| Besides, as soon as the vapor of the air
reaches a certain degree of deficiency,
then, under the law of equalization, the
m DISTURB of plant life passes TO the air to
assist in the saturation and to secure an
/ equilibrium in nature. The result is,
either partial or total destruction OF
crops. And this partial or total
destruction takes place in midsum-
mer, Immediately or very soon
after the June rains have passed. If the
vapor is deficient the rainfall must be
correspondingly light. And after the
rain of June has passed, as it quickly
does, out of the country, the earth under
hot sun becomes dry and hot and the
air becomes heated, and with but little
moisture present to be converted to vapor,
it soon picks up its line of march to the
north, absorbing as it goes what surface
moisture there is on the earth and in veg
etable life.
Are these positions correct? And what
are the remote and approximate causes
of such a remarkable phenomena as are
sen? The dwellers on these rich and
very productive lands should have clear
idea of the active causes of aridlty; TO
the end they may do what they can to
secure a change for the better. Not to
90 into tedious examination of these
causes, suffice it to say directly south of
all this sub-arid belt of land there is no
large body of water to supply
the air with the needed va
pOr. The high table lands and
and the mountains of Old Mexico cut of
this supply from the Gulf of California.
While the Gulf of Mexico, except in oc-
CaSSiOnal seasons of southeast wind. Is
too far east to give the supply we need.
In fact the supply of vapOr over quite
twO-thirdS of the great state of Texas IS
scant. for the reason that during the
spring and early summer, there is a pre-
vailing south wind and that wind IS de-
fiected eastward by the motion of the
earth. Hence it will be seen that in the
absence of large bodies of water directly
to the south Of these plains, that we are
dependant on the local supply of rain
and melting snow from the mountains
to the west. If the snow on the eastern
slope of the Rocky Mountains is deep
and the rainfull sufficient TO keep up the
numerous streams that hisect these pra-
ries east and west, then moisture TO
supply the air with such an amount of
vapor that it will not absorb the all of
the moisture of crop life. If these posi-
will no IL
seen what is most needed is an increase
of surface moisture in the southern
portions of these plains, and as large
supply locally over the entire area as it
Is possible to secure. In some practical
way we must increase instead of dimin-
ish the water on the earth's surface.
Naturally deficient in great lakes and
large bodies Of water, to the south, TO
give the needed vapor for the air, the
white and the red man have done what
they could to make the land more arid.
The grass, natures covering for the
earth, 10 keep it cool and to hold the rain
fall so it can pass into the earth, Is kept
burned of until it IS generally thined out
leaving the land nude and exposed to the
burning rays of a midsummer sun, and
at the same time greatly facilitating the
rapid escape of the water from the cOun- /
try. And where the fire Is not allowed +
to do its work Of death the prairie is
either kept 50 constantly moved that the
grass IS virtually destroyed. While on a !
large portion of the prairies the grass j. (
kept very closely cropped 10y the /
countless herds Of cattle and sheep that I
tread the land hard and bare, and as a
result the rain that falls quickly escapes .
from the surface All these things /.
tend to make the land more dry.
1t is true that a cultivation Of a portion /.
of the soil, planting out timber. and the .
preservation of a portion of the native .
grass, with other agencies. tend 10 a Ger (
tain extent 10 modify some Of the evils .
of which we have spoken. Bat much (
more needs 20 be done.
In such circumstances, what are some +
Of the more obvious results: With IN .
sufficient water 10 the south to give the 4
proper vap0r 70 the air, the sun now I
shines through a clou less SKY on a
nude earth, the latter absorbs his burn .
Ing rays and communicates the heat 20 .
the ar. which IN it, turn = greatly raIri
fed. and being thus heated ard devoid .
Of proper saturation 70 steady It, It now
begins to move rapidly in space 70 80
cure an equilibrium Of temperature and /
Of saturatIun and ID ats wild and wierd
march 10 the north. the moisture Of crop
life passes 10 the air 10 and IN It's satura-
ton As we have as stated before.
Is II possible for human agency 70 sup
ply a sufficient amount Of moisture 10
overcome these producing causes i
H. ~--- a. IN D