El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-08-18
A THOUGH copious rains in the
past few weeks have restored
z. the ma rchad veOetat ton OF the

~
- past few weeks have restored
4 = the parched vegetation of the
farms Of the United States, the summer
of 1911 will be long remembered as
season of wide spread and unprece-
denied drouth. In other years there
have been more severe drouths in GER
tain sections of the country. but this
year the rainfall was far below normal
in the early summer in nearly all of
the states. The rainfall in 1910 was
generally below normal, also, and the
resultant shortage in the stock of
moisture in the soil caused the drouth
to be even more injurious to crops
than usual
It is a remarkable feature of the
American agricultural resources, how
ever, that even general drouth. fol-
lowing a period Of low rainfall in pre-
vious years, has not brought threat
of famine. The greatest damage has
been to garden truck. potatoes and
other vegetables requiring great deal
of rain The grain crops. other than
corn, escaped because the drouth came
too late to hurt them, and the rains
came again in time to save the greater
part Of the corn crop. Nevertheless,
many localities have suffered great loss
and the cost of living will be influ-
enced by the shortage.
Rainfall Diminishing.
For some reason. which has not yet
been ascertained by any scientist the
average rainfall throughout the whole
country has been diminishing during
the past 10 years. Whether or not
this decrease is likely to be permanent
no one can tell At various times,
since the existence OF the United States
weather bureau, the amount OF rainfall
has increased or decreased in differ
ent parts of the country, causing the
chart indicating 1t to present wave
like appearance. There Is IL incnes
difference between the maximum rain
fall of the country as recorded. and
that Of 1910, and according to the pres
ent indications this year will increase
the difference of precipitation which
is already greatly below any previous
record.
Former drouths have. in most cases
been confined to one or two sections
of the country, but this year 1t pre-
vailed throughout the whole United
States, with the exception Of few is
plated localities where the rainfall
has been a little above normal.
The Greatest Drouths.
The greatest drouths on record
this summer, as measured by the
Carolina and Kansas, where, dur
ing June and July the pre-
cipitation has been from go to SO
percent below normal The normal
rainfall throughout the country has
been estimated by the United States
weather bureau at 20 inches, and the
area is divided in this respect into the
following classifications: desert or arid
lands, 10 inches per year; semi-arid
or light rains, 10 to % inches; moder-
ate 25 to SO inches; copious. so TO IS
inches; and excessive, above 70 inches
A rainfall Of less than Is inches pre-
Guides ordinary agriculture excepting
by the aid of irrigation. In some To-
caiities the dry farming of certain
crops overcomes the difficulty Of scant
moisture to large extent Dry farm
ing IS really. good farming" in the
highest possible utilization of every
natural advantage. This is one Of the
means by which the department of
agriculture expects to keep UP the
standards Of crops throughout the
country, even though the rainfall
should continue TO decrease as It has
during the past decade.
According to the latest record the
United States has less than percent
of it's area in the excessive rainfall
class. exceeding 10 inches annually.
Sixteen percent ranges from so to rs
inches, 20 percent from 25 TO SO inch
es, 80 percent from 16 to 25 inches and
20 percent less than 10 inches. 1t is
upon these figures that the normal av-
erage of 20 inches per annum is based
The measuring of rainfall through
&c
means of careful tests at each OF the
200 observation stations Of the wealth
er bureau. Carefully constructed rain
cages are supplied by which the rain
is collected continually and measured
and estimated for the surface Of that
particular locality. In speaking OF
the rainfall OF the country the signifi-
cation is that the amount Of water
which falls would, II collected, at once.
reach the number of inches indicated
during the year.
Irrigation Advancing.
Irrigation is advancing to a degree
which indicates that in some sections
of the country the farmer will be alb
solutely independent of seasonal rain
falls. although at present 1t Is not de-
pended upon to any appreciable degree
for the most essential crops. In the
sections where irrigation prevails,
there has been no scarcity Of water
this year. despite the decreased rain
falls because 1t happens that the heavy
snowfalls last winter provided suf-
ficient amount of water for this sea-
son. If such a drouth as Is now pre-
vailing throughout the country should
follow upon a winter in which the
snowfall had been light, there might
be a scarcity of water for supplying
which just them seemed to awe and
humble him.