Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-07-05
FOSTER SAYS so.
Dates and Route for the Next
Storm Wave Made Public.
WEATHER AND SCIENCE NOTES.
A Few Pointers on the Aridity OF the
Country Between the Missouri River
and the Rocky Mountains.
Uncle Sans Duty.
Special 10 the Gazette.

Special TO the Gazette.
ST JOSEPH, Mo, July my last letter
gave forecasts of the storm wave due to
cross the continent from July 8 TO July 10.
The next will be due to leave the Pacific
coast about the 18th. cross the Rocly-Alle-
gheny valley from the 18th to the 18th, and
reach the Atlantic coast about the 10th
Ills storm will be at its greatest force on
sxhe Pacific coast and in the Rocky noun
tainS on the 18th and 18th, and will take the
southern route, causing cool weather
throughout the United States north and
west of its center 1t will not be of any
great note. The periodical great rainfall
will begin about the 18th and continue
throughout the month. having its greatest
effect about the time the storm waves are
due. VIII give more particulars of this
rain period in my next letter.
WEATHER AND SCIENCE NOTES.
The aridity OF the country between the
Missouri river and the Rocky mountains is
principal cause of all the drouthS that
occur between the Appalachian chain of
mountains on the east and the Coast noun
taiuS on the west of this continent and
therefore all the states in the great lake
region and those of the Mississippi and
Missouri valleys should become interested
il turning that arid country into region
of bOuntifui rainfallS.
The principal portion of the moisture
that goes 10 make up the rainfalls of the
region OF the great lakes and the upper
Missouri and mississippi valleys must
come from the Gulf of Mexico. and III or
der to reach the storm centerS, as they
come from the Pacific coast, that moisture
must pass over the arid district In July
and August the sun beaming down on the
sandy soil Of the plains heats il very hot,
and the hot air rising from it dissipatcs the
moisture moving inland from the gulf, and
which would go into the storm centers
We're it not for the heat of these plains. in
order to cause rain the moisture must enter
the storm centers near the earth, and when
the heated air of the plains drives the
moisture TO high attitudes it encounters
the upper currents of air that are returning
toward the Gulf of Mexico, and thus the
storm centers are robbed of the necessary
moisture which would otherwise cause
rains i'll the Western states and territories
and the Middle states west of the Ale
ghcuieS.
If trees could be made to grow on the arid
plains, and We're literally cultivated. they
would break the effect of the sun on the
sandy soil, thereby preventing the rising
hot currents of air which dissipateS and
drives the moisture back TO the gulf
But trees will not grow without water,
ana in the hot months large scopes of Coun-
ira in the arid districts are destitute of
water. and the only way to obtain sure
supply Is Dy irrigation and TINS Is OF such
vast importance to a very large portion of
the United States that the national govern
ment ought 10 aid in the matter.
In Colorado where irrigation is already
well perfected, the people do not want rain,
for it often INJURIES their crops, but they are
probably short sighted in one particular.
The timber is being rapidly destroyed in
the Rocky Mountains. and ii this is per-
mitted TO continue the mountain streams
viii soon fail to furnish water for irrigd-
ton during the hot months. Large tracts
Of these mountain lands belong TO the gov
eminent. AID if the timber could be pro-
tected and reservoirs made to retain some
OF the water that runs TO waste in the
spring months, all the arid districts could
be well irrigated, and a growth of trees Sc
cured on the plains
But this cannot be accomplished by the
mountain states and territories alone, and
a little Investigation will convince the
greater portion of the states that it is the
duty of the general government to give lib
el'al aid to irrigation. This accomplished.
and the occasional drouthS in the more fer
tile states will become less frequent and
less severe. W. T.kFosTER.