The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-05-20
INCREASING THE RAINFALL,
How Nature May Be Assisted
to Furnish Moisture.
The Views of B. s. Pague, the Gov
eminent FOrecaster.
The Effect of Planting Trees and CUB
tivation OF the Soil Upon the
Rainfail-Somo Interest
ing Suggestions.

been sent out by b. S. Pague, forecast
official at San Francisco of the govern
ment weather bureau service:
WEATHER BUREAU OFFICE, SAN FRAN
CISCO, May IA, 1894 The amount and
distribution throughout the year OF
rainfall in California is a most vital
question, and one that ATTRACTS more at
tention than any other statistical state
ment of climatic conditions that can be
issued. AS much depends upon the dis
tribution of the rain in the various
weeks of the year, as upon the total
amount that may fall in any given sea-
son. Heavy rainfall in December, jan
uary and February and light rains or
none at all after the lat of April are OF
little benefit, while light rain from No
vember, at intervals Of a few days, up
to the middle of June make an ideal
year for the agriculturlst. Due to con-
ditions, which are not necessary here to
relate, the rains OF California occur
principally in the three winter months.
The rainfall is heaviest in Del Norte and
Humbridt counties on the north, from
which it gradually decreases in amount
along the coast to San Diego, in the
south in the interior it is heaviest in
Siskiyou and Shasta counties, whence it
gradually decreases to San Diego coun-
ty. The amount of rainfall along the
coast is from n inches, in Del N rte
county, to IL inches in San
Diego county; in the interior
from 40 inches in Siskiyou to five inches
in the eastern part of San Diego county.
From q line drawn east and west
through the southern line OF Sacramento
county northw ard, the rainfall in Cali
fornia is 20 inches or more; south OF
SUCH a line it is less than 70 inches.
Twenty inches of rainfall In any year or
season is ample for all purposes for
vegetation when such an amount is well
distributed through the various months,
especially in the months when vegeta-
ton is maturing, from April to July.
Over the section OF Cali ornia where the
rain amounts to less than ~ inches in
any year or season, or where it 10 badly
distributed, j. g., when practically no
r.ln falls from March TO July, then irri-
cation is necessary to insure the success.
iul growth Of vegetation, be 1t cereal or
fruiC. There is large portion OF Cali
fosnia where all conditIpns are favorable
for the production of any product known
to the temperate zone, and for many
articles of the tropic or semi-tropic zone,
cheney is overcome by extensive irriga
ton bitches and the consequent supply
of water for supply ing that " hich nature
has failed to do. In years OF drou h az
the present, even the irrigation ditch is
guarded most jealousy. Tnis prelude
leads up to the question: L. there no
way TO help or assist nature to furnish
man with water in the shape of moist
ure from tue clouds. Within the mem
DRY of the present generation common
school biographies spoke OF and con-
tanned on the maps OF the United States
what was hen termed the "Great
American Desert" This desert has
passed away. The questions then are:
Has. the rainfall increassd2 What
conditions have arisen to change
the so called "desert?" First, it should
be known the section defined as des-
ert was not in reality a desert, as the
term is technically and generally under
stood. The eeml desert conditions
which prevail have been overcome by
the advent of railroads, settlements,
cultivation OF the soil, planting OF trees,
and, last but not least, by irrigation.
These are this causes which changed the
"deeert" into one of the most fertile
sections in the United States, and which
will materially reduce tue difficulty of
natures deficient supply OF moisture,
especially in dry or DIR nth years IN Cali
fornia. The engineers in charge OF the
Mexican Central railway reported that
in the building of the road it waA noted
that with the coming of the construc-
ton train, bearing great quantities OF
steel rails, that the rain fell in advance
OF the train at uuususl times and in
unusual quantities. 1t can be assumed
that by the construction OF railways the
electrical conditions OF the country
are disturbed that have an in
finence upon the precipitation. The
cultivation of the soil allows
all the moisture which falls to
be absor bed by the soil, rather than al
lowing it to run off. as is the case in
hard and unworked soils, hence a great
er amount of moisture is present, while
evaporation produces higher percent
age of moisture in the air; the food for
a storm ia heat and moisture, hence the
inf renee OF the cultivation OF the soil 10
facilitating the deposit of moisture. The
planting of trees serves two-iold pur-
pose in this connection. The leaf sur
face of tho tree is very great, when the
aggregate 70 considered, hence can be
seen the great amount OF increased hu.
miditv obtained from the moisture
which is thrown off by the leaves sec
ondly, the roo of trees serve as
sponge, when taken in connection with
the soil surrounding the roots, which
serve to absorb and retain moisture and
to allow lite gradual escape to springs,
thus affording a more constant supply
to the streams, preventing their drying
up and sffording a greater amount of
rious systems of irrigation, distributing
moisture to the soil, which in turn is
absorbed by the vegetation and finally
evaporated, furnishes II most satisfac-
tory means OF making the air
more humid and OF making
the conditions more favorable for
possible rainfall. All of these
conditions ombinsd all add very greatly
to the moisture of the air, hence food
for the storm, and facilitates the posi-
bility OF rain, when without these arti-
fetal means rainfall would be practi-
cably impossible. Hence it may be
considered that the opening up OF the
land to tillage. planting of trees, build.
ing of railroads and general covering OF
many square miles OF vegetation that
were formerly barren wastes, have a
tendency to retain the moisture from
the clouds, and this in turn renders the
air more humid, go that there 10 an
actual increase OF the moisture OF the
air beneficial to vegetation. In this
| connactIon the folIowing from United