Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-02-05
Strictly Normal Year in Hawkeye Weather
Would be Phenomenal Exception.
A CONTINUAL VARIATION is THE RULE
Messrs Sun, Wind g. Co., Gigantic Corporation Which
Holds a Monopoly Irrigation Business-Text
s Of Paper Read Before the State
Horticultural Society.

years of record. Thus we reach the
APPARENTLY paradoxical conclusion
that in weather the exceptional condi-
ton is the rule, and some measure of
departure from the normal is the nor
NAL state of things.
The Extremes that Hurt.
In weather records the averages are
carefully noted, but the extremes most
vitality affect human interests. And
LIE tendency toward extremes is the
most striking feature of the climate
of this midcontinent region. In Iowa
the records of temperature for the
| past decade show an average range OF
| 1876 degrees per year. The highest
temperature recorded for the ten
year period was ITO degrees
| in July 1890, and the low
est was 40 degrees below zero in Feb
ruary, 1899, making a range of $50 de-
| grees for the decade. In the Bermu-
das the annual range is only SO de-
grees, the maximum being IS and the
minimum 40 degrees.
A Years Precipitation.
| Variableness in the annual and sea-
sonal precipitation is also notable
! feature of our climate. The average
precipitation for the state is little
over 30 inches per year; and in the
/ last decade the lowest amount was
| 21.95 inches in 1894, and the highest
1 37.45 inches in 1896. The normal for
| the three summer months is IL inches.
1 In 1894 the total for the summer
| months was only 4.8S inches; and in
/ 1900 the amount was 14.7S. or 10
inches above the low water mark.
!. That difference of about 10 inches in
the critical months of the crop season
accounts for the fact that the output
of cereals in 1900 was more than twice
the total produced in 1894.
Wet and Dry Season.
\ Fully 70 per cent on the average, OF
our annual precipitation falls in the
six crop months, and over 81 per cent
Oh the yearly total comes in the three
summer months. So there is in Iowa
a wet and dry season about as well de.
fined as in some of the tropical coun-
tries This must be taken into ac-
count as an important factor in fruit
1 growing and farming. During the
past eleven years the average from
April to October l has been 21.67
inches, with some noteworthy
departures above and below. In 1892
4 the state average for the crop season
was 27.77 inches: in 1896 1t was 1888
inches, and in 1900, 25.f4 inches. But
in 1894, the memorable year of the
great drouth. the amount was only
1889 inches, and about half Of that
total fell in April and September, leav-
ing the four months in which the bulk
of crop growth was made, with very
scant moisture. 1t seems almost mi
raculous that the cereal products of
that extremely dry season amounted
to over 256,000,O00 bushels, and fruit
was far above total failure. The
drouthy period, which began in 1898
and did not wholly terminate until
the summer of 1895, gave us crucial
test of the hardness of trees, Shrubs
and plants, and attested the drouth
resisting qualities of Iowa soil. What.
ever survived was certainly well fit
ted for the survival.
In all the years of crop production
in Iowa it is probable that more ac-
/
deficiency in rainfall in the growing
season.
"Sun, Wind G. Co."
The farmers and fruit growers OF
this region are most seriously affect
ed by wind storms, in the form of hot
winds of droughty periods, and the
squalls and more swiftly destructive
storms of the summer. But these are
necessary ills; for it should be noted
that this great valley, being SO remote
from the gulf and oceans, must needs
be watered by the expenditure of stu
pendous force. Every drop of water
that comes into this inland region is
, imported, and brought hither at heavy
cost of transportation. Those who re
ceive ,..e benefits must pay the freight
in one form or another, Sun, Wind
, Co. have formed a gigantic combina
ton and they hold the monopoly o.
the irrigation business. The gulf is
the pool and the combination is strict
ly unlimited. Cyclones are the yehi
cles of transportation, and when they
are sweeping across the continent
; they hold the right of way. There
seems to be no other way to get oul
| fields watered, SO we must pay the cos
in form of damage, tho we are assur
ed that the benefits vastly exceed the
: incidental injuries. But whether WI
} like the system or not we must sub
, NIT to natures methods, or the way
: of Providence. Most likely we shoult
make botch of the business If W,
should try to amend the constitution
iof lne universe.
Is No Perfect Climate.
There is no perfect climate Of
/ earth The climate of Iowa, despit,
the ills i have enumerated, seems t.
be most admirably adapted to produce
great field crops and fairly goot
fruits of the temperate zone.
Man cannot live on climate alone
J however dry. delightful and salubri
!. Gus. But the most OF us must sta.
/ here where the great staples of foo
/ are produced. We must accept tn
situation and make the most OF il
Asia