The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1924-04-03
DAKOTA IS
NOT DRY REGION
Statistics Show That Average Annual
Rainfall In State Was
1891 Inches

Following is the third of a series
Of articles upon South Dakota, it's pro,
ducts and outlook, furnished through
the courtesy of Irwin ID. Aldrich, Com,
missioner of the Department of Immi,
grafton at Pierre:
The United States Weather Bureau
has recently issued a compilation OF
weather statistics for the state OF
South Dakota, which includes the re-
suits of observations dating back to
the establishment of various stations
and down to and including the year
1920.
The report shows that the greatest
average annual rainfall is in Law
rence county, which from 1909 to 1920
averaged 1884 inches. Next to this
comes a group of three counties in
the southeast corner, Union, 1858;
Turner, 1855; and Clay, 26.47.
The fifth and sixth counties are
Brown, 1851 and Sphinx. 1858. Fol
lowing is a group of four counties,
Yankton, Bon Homme, Minnehaha and
hthitolhs tuh6lhS toih GU.VS uo"h "
1887. Deuel., 24.79 and Clark, 24.55
follow, and then comes another group
in the south central potion, Hutchin-
son, Davidson, Hanson, Moody, Dou-
glas and Lake, ranging from 24.66
down to 24.21. Grant, 23.71, Charles
Mix, 23.39 and Faux, 1887 follow,
and next comes two west river coun-
ties. not very near together geogra-
phically. Gregory and Dewey, each
with 23.2S.
These are followed by a group of
northeastern and central counties,
Roberts, Minor, Marshall, Sanborn,
Codington. Hamlin and Kingsbury,
ranging from 22.71 to 21.71.
Then appears the fourth west-river
county, Trip. with 21.27.
In the next group are Aurora,
Brookings, Jerauld, Beadle, Buffalo,
and Edmunds, with a rainfall of from
II down to 20 inches.
Hand counties is one of the rapidly
advancing counties of the state, hav-
ing produced more than four million
bushels of ORR last year; yet with
her average of 1888 inches of rainfall
she is exceeded in moisture by five
more of the west-river counties, Mel
lette, 20.20; Meade, 20.O2; Haakon,
1868; Todd, 1877, and Jones, 1856.
Following Hand is WaIworth, Brule
and HYDE east of the river, with 1928
to I'M inches, and then another
group Of west-river counties, Stanley,
Custer, Fall River, Jackson, Penning-
ton and Ziebach, with from 1856 to
17.12 inches, which slightly exceeds
the average of Sully, Hughes, Potter.
Campbell, and Mcpherson, and the re
maining counties west of the river.
In many Of the counties OBJ
%scryations have not been taken long
enough to form an accurate conclu-
sion. but inasmuch as the rainfall in
these counties in 1921, 1922 and 1923
has been heavier than in the recorded
years previous, ii is apparent that
they will not suffer by comparison in
future reports. II must be emem-
bered that from seventy-five to eighty
percent of the annual rainfall in these
counties falls during the growing
season.
II has been the affirmation of the
department of immigration that the
reputation of the western section as
d dry region has been due not SO
much to the actual rainfall as to the
condition of the soil in its natural
state, tending TO shed the water,
rather than to conserve it, and tillage,
thorough cultivation, with the addition
II humus, will make the weBt-riveT
soil very productive.
The foregoing official figures on
showing most of the west-river coun-
ties to receive an average rainfall
equal to, or greater than some of our
very prosperous counties in the cen-
trail part of the state.
The opportunity for the healthy
growth in population and resources
Of South Dakota is unparalleled by
any other state in the Union.
A hundred thousand families,-five
hundred thousand people,-might set
tie in South Dakota, and assist in the
maintenance of her schools and other
public activities, and prosper from
the beginning.
1t is a question Of presenting the
advantages of the state to them,-let.
ting them know about it.
If you have relatives or friends in
the east who ought to know more
to the Department of immigration al
Pierre, and descriptive matter will be
y.atlaA ~ tharn