The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-02


Going easterly from the Columbia river
toward the higher mountainous region OF
Idaho the amount OF rainfall increases.
For example, at Dayton, in Columbia
county, where the elevation is approx
mately 800 feet, the average rainfall as
obtained by six years observation was 267
inches At Pomeroy. in Garfield county.
where the elevation is /, 800 feet, two years
observation Of rainfall gave an average of
20.3 inches. At Coliax, in Whitman
county, where the elevation is 1.974 feet,
the average rainfall for two years was 26.1
inches.
This increase Of rainfall from the plains
region toward the mountains at the east is
shown also in the case of the records at
Fort Spokane and those at the CITY of Spo-
kane. In the first instance, that at the
fort, which Is near the junction of the
Spokane and Columbia rivers, at an eleva-
ton of LOCO feet. the average rainfall for
seven years was ia inches, while at Spo-
kane, fifty miles further east, and at an
elevation of ,910 the mean annual rain
fall for nine years was 49, inches. Fur
Their to the north, at Fort Coiville in
Stevens county, the rainfall for eighteen
years averaged l7.2 inches. In comparison
with the precipitation in Eastern Wash
ington may be noted that on the coast,
where at one point the average has been
upward of 10 inches per annum, the max
imum being over 130 inches.
The distribution of precipitation by
months has been obtained by compiling
the records of the signal Office relating to
the principal rainfall stations of Eastern
Washington. The greatest amount of
rain usually falls in January and the least
in August, the amount increasing rapidly
through the fall. Taking the mean of all
the stations of Eastern Washington at
which observations have been continued
for several years. it appears that in Janu-
airy there fell 16.0 per cent. of the total
precipitation of the year; in February 1870
per cent, in March IA, April 20. May 40,
June 63, July 81, August 90, September
cember $50 per cent. In December, jan
uary and February A per cent. of the
total annual rainfall fell, while in July.
August and September only 10. I per cent
was precipitated.
Comparing the discharge of the rivers
with the precipitation as regards distribu-
ton through the year. it is apparent that
while the quantity OF rain steadily dimin-
ishes from January until August, the
amount of water available on the con.
trary, rapidly increases to May or June,
and then falls off, the minimum river
flow occurring month or more after the
time of least precipitation. both of these
increasing toward winter.
The climate of the state has been dis
cussed in publications prepared under the
direction of the chief signal officer, one of
these written in 1885 by Lieutenant Frank
Green being report on the interior wheat
lands of Oregon and Washington. A
second report by General A. w. Greedy, on
the climate of Oregon and Washington
territory, printed in 1883, gives tables and
diagrams illustrating the precipitation
and temperature. Mention should also be
made Of the report by Lieutenant Thomas
w. Symons OF an examination of the upper
Columbia river and the territory in its
vicinity in September and October, 1891,
and published in 1892. Briefly stated, it
may be said that the climate Of Washing
ton is wonderfully mild, the fluctuations
of temperature being within relatively
narrow limits. The winters are short and
seldom severe, except In the Big Bend
country. The chief drawbacks are the
long, dry summer and the prevalence of
winds, especially throughout the level
country.
From what has already been stated it
will be apparent that the relation of irri-
cation to agriculture in Washington is
determined largely by convenience and
the question OF expense; that is to say. in
Eastern Washington agriculture is fairly
successful in'nearily every county without
the artificial application Of water, but
wherever water can be obtained at moder-
ate expense irrigation has been introduced,
and the results obtained by this method
of agriculture have demonstrated its value.
On the other hand, where water cannot be
obtained the farmers claim that irrigation
is unnecessary and seem to be content
with the ordinary methods of farming,
although it is apparent that many crops
cannot survive the scanty rainfall of sum-
mer combined with the effect of the al
most ceaseless winds.
In most counties irrigation is still in the
experimental stage, being used to tide
al
Western Washington flooding of the lands
is occasionally resorted to in order to in
crease the forage crops. For example, in
Cowiitz and Skamania counties some of
the smaller streams have been damned in
order TO create artificial marshes, and
even in Chehalis county the yield has been
doubled by summer irrigation.
One fact tending to retard the develop
ment of irrigation is the low selling value
of cereals, together with the high rates of
transportation. 1t obviously will not paw
to irrigate lands to raise wheat when the
farmers who are producing it in large
quantities without irrigation can barely
live
There is a common saying among the in
habtants of Eastern Washington that the
bunch grass land, that is, the areas on
which the rich, nutritious bunch grass
grows, does not require irrigation. Wher-
ever this tiourisheS wheat can be raised by
proper CuttlVdtlO1. Inc bunch grass,
which has the valuable property of self
curing or becoming natural hay during
the droughts OF summer, is one of the
most valuable of forage plants. and is so
highly regarded that its name has become
a synonym for anything valuable or pros
porous. On the contrary, the lands on
which the sagebrush grows, although hav-
ing rich soil, are too dry for cultivation
without watering, and sagebrush land
without water supply conveys ideas of
worthlessness and poverty.
The methods OF irrigation do not differ
materially from those used elsewhere the
general practice being 10 food the lands
on which hay or cereals are raised or to
conduct the water through small burrows
between rows of vegetables, corn or other
plants Occasionally more systematic
measures are used, as, for example. hav-
ing the ground leveled and provided with
low ridges OF earth or checks by which
the water is retained at uniform depth
over the inclosed area The size of the
space within the checks is regulated by
the sloue of the land, the more nearly
level the larger the space In one case the
checks iDclosed upward of five acres, and
an irrigatiug stream was used sufficiently
large to cover this ground in two hours
and thirty minutes When one area is
full the water, unless the ground is very
dry is drawn of into the next area in
closed by checks. other water being run
in at the same time by means OF the small
lateral bitches.
You hardly realize that il 10 medicine when
taking Carriers Little Liver Pills; they are very