, 1891-09-26
WHERE MEN BEST THRIVE.
Population as affected by Rainfall and
Temperature.
my. Ismes.)

my. 1Smes.)
The explorer, when specializing on the
possibilities of the colonization of a newly
discovered land, must first consult his Their
mometer, next his rain guage. There may
be the likelihood of future greatness in q
land when the mercury stands during the
year al such a given height, and NO chances
at all when it either ascendS or descendS
above or below Il certain mark. Not satiSf-
ed alone with mecurial OK Expansions or con-
fractions, the annual rainfall must have
careful consideration. The pOIiticO-ecOnO-
mist iu the future will ask two leading
questions, as follows What is the aver
are temperature and what the annual rain.
fall in your new country The meteOrOlo-
gist muStS nswer, and iuevltaO ole CONCLUSIONS
will be drawn from his replies.
Sir Henry Garnett, in Cen us Bulletins
Nos. 81 and 33, presents two reports on the
redistribution of population in the United
States iii accordance with the mean aDnual
Rainfall" and "the distribution of popula-
ton With reference to mean annual tempera-
turp," and in both Bulletins comparisons are
made bot ween the years 1870 and 1880 as to
distribution of population. Mr.. GaTnett,
through the aid of Gen. Greedy, has been
enabled TO obtain the latest and most rella-
BILE meteorological data from the 1000 STA
lions u"lStllOuCeU over Iu6 county,. as 10
the annual rainfall in the United States the
average is 29.6 inches, the variations rang
ing from 0 to 1875 inches. Where the rain
fail is between 80 aud 50 inches is to be
found hat region where lives about three
quarters of Tie entire population. Where
the rainfall shows from 40 to 80 inches Oh
the annual average, the density of.popula-
ton is the create st, being htty-ulne lnhabi-
tants to the square mile.
ssIn the eaSteIns portion of the great plains
stretching from Texas to Dakota, where the
most rapid increase IN population Is taking
place, the rainfall averages from 20 TO 80
inches" Where the rainfall increases or
dimiuishes over the standard of from 81 to
so inches, population seems to decrease.
Where the rainfall is less than 90 inches,
sd region which comprises twO-dfthS Of the
eutire area of the country" this area con-
tains less than 3 PEI cent. of the population.
The mean annual temperature OF the
United States being $50, the greatest densi-
ty of population follows the thermOmetrical
indications OF from $40 to $50. Taking this
asthe climatic standard increase or decrease
of temperate re is followed with a diminish
ing density CT population. In 1890 more
than half the population was living under a
Temperature bet ween 40 and 55e, and be-
tween 45o and 60o 70 to IS per cent. of
all the inhabitants. A trife over ! per
cent. can stand temperature greater than
an average of zoo, but above $50 the number
of inhabitants is insignificant. 1t is appA-
rent that, since 1870, white men have
thrived best in temperatures ranging be-
tween 500 and $50 on an average, and from
this as a maximum, cit diminishes rapidly
with both increase and decrease Of tenn
perature."
Men live in Alaska and in New Mexico,
but population never can be dense there
any more than Northern Siberia or Central
Africa will be peopled by whites. 1t is all
a question of too much or too little sun or of
too much or too little rain.