Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-02-07
very wet or very dry-thc farmer has good

very wet or very dry-the farmer has good
reason to choose the latter
The average yearly RAINFALL In Iowa Is 80 inches.
A little more than two-thirdS Of this amount
usually falls In the six crop months-April | to
October land on an average we get Is inches
of water in the three summer months In the
distribution OF these watery blessings there Is
considerable variability, and while one portion
of the state is drenched another part may be
needing moisture. 1t sometimes happens that
the greater portion of our seasonal rainfall
comes in the planting and cultivatng time, aud
when that occurs we hear no fault found with
our drainage system, except that there il not
enough Of II. In such seasons of excess both
the earth and mir are reeking with surplus mos.
ture The oats, barley and other cereal crops
grow rank and are flattencd to the ground by
ousy affected the crops in the larger part of the
state. There have been in other years local
drouthS, of short duration and extent, but the
| general drouthS which have materially reduced
the total crop output Of the state, have been few
| and far bCtween-nOt more frequent, in fact
| than in the eastern and middle states. The
great drOuth of '03 and "a was by far more Sc
we're and extensive than any that has been noted
since &c, 81, and some time in the COS. Those
| early drouths were not so damaging AZ the one
just experienced, because there was not SO large
an area of crops to be damaged.
Another fact of observation, during the past
quarter Of century In Iowa, Is that in the long
run more damage has been done to crops by tx.
ceSsiye rainfall in the season Of planting, cult
waiting and harvesting than has resulted from
extremely dry weather. OF the two extremes
heavy storms. The corn fields are but sparsely
cultivated and 90 to grass and weeds. The
meadows and pastures thrive apparently, but
even the grass is lacking In the essential quality
| of nutrlment. And one Of the worst effects OF
these too frequent wet seasons Is the generation
and spread of rusis, blights mlldews, and AL
forms Of fungous diseases Of PLANTS These fun,
gous pests and parasites cannot thrive In "a very
dry climate, nor in a drouthy season.
Nature has most bountlfully provided for this
portion of the Mississippi valley. The average
| spring and summer rainfall would be greatly in
excess of our needs, and detrimental but for the
fact that our prairies are rolling, our natural
surface drainage more excellent, and our soil
subsol and under lying strata are porous, serv-
ing rs capacous reservoirs for the storage OF
surplus moisture. So nature has done Its best
to drain of and and dispose of surface water
and our farmers have wisely followed the ex
ample by ditchng and tile-dranagc.
| In fact, mankind have made some improve
ments upon natures work, and that is what
| they are here for. In It's original condition, rs
! left by nature and the Indians and buffaloes
| the surface of this state was composed OF dry
ridges and divides and inumcrable deprcssi MS
in which were streams flowing sIuggishlN
through mry and well-nigh impossible bottoms
On many of the divides there were numerous
small lakes, ponds and extended boys, evidently
of glacial origin.
Now to make this great and productive com
mOnwealth 1t became necessary first to breal
| up and cultivate the dry lands, and then so IA
as practicable to drain off stagnant waters an,
extend the area Of arabic lands. This dranag
OF the surplus water was a necessity, becaus
you cannot successfully raise corn, clover, frog
and bullheads on the same soil at the same time
| SO as matter OF course, and OF necessity, W.
have very materially reduced and drained OF
| the original area OF wet, cold, miry and malari
Gus lands In this state; and it was the best AM
| wsCSt thing to do. And in doing it We hayI
not ruined our climate, nor leSsened the amour
OF rainfall In any degree whatever. We hay
simply begun work in that line, and when on
drainage system is complete we shall be able q
raise an abundance in this state for our soil viii
be better able TO withstand extremes Of wet d
dry.