The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-03-29
PROSPECTS FOR
GOOD CROP YEAR
ARE FAVORABLE
Outlook Now Even Brighter
Than in Spriag q 1927,
Roberts Says

Prospects for . favorable crop
year in 1923 are fully az bright and
even brighter than in the spring Of
1927" said @. w. Roberts, veteran
weather observer in charge Of the
government weather bureau here,
today.
~While preparations have already
been made for spring work on
farms, practically no farm work has
Is yet been done," Mr.. Roberts
said. "The records Of this office
show that in nearly every instance,
our best crops have been harvested
in those years with late springs. The
reason for this i that the earlier
we begin our operations and turn
the surface moisture to the sun, the
more rapidly evaporation takes
.Nearly every unusually early
spring has been followed by 4 per-
iod Of low temperature later, often
stunning the growth Of small grains
and requiring much replanting Of
corn.
1T i = well known fact that the
windward side Of the Rocky Noun
tains receives = heavy annual pre-
cipitation, while the leeward side
only receives small amount. This
is caused by the rapid cooling Of
the moisture laden air passing over
the mountains, the volume Of the
air becoming greatly reduced due to
lowered temperature and precipita-
ton necessarily taking place. Ma
turally q great deal Of this mois-
ture is precipitated in the form Of
snow in these mountains, and melt
ing in early summer gives rs our
June rise in the various rivers in
this section. The prevalence Of a
large amount Of snow in these
mountains increases our spring and
summer rainfall and reduces the
probability Of hot winds in July.
Snow Abundant This Year
"There is an abundance Of snow
in the mountains at the present
time, which gives us encourage
ment to believe chat spring and
summer rains will be abundant. But
what is equally a important is the
unusually large amount Of moisture
in the sub-soi throughout North
Dakota this spring. Telegraph and
telephone linemen state that SUBJ
soil moisture il to be found general
" to depth Of nine feet.
1T Is obvious that to make q
weather forecast for = season in
advance would be more or less
guesswork. While scientists for
many years have been studying
cycles, sun spots and various others
systems and phenomena in an en-
deavor to solve the problem Of wet
and dry years, We are no nearer z
solution Of the question than we
were when ] entered the weather
bureau 80 years ago.
1927 Prediction Correct
"There are, however, several
elements that 60 to make . success
full crop year Of which we can easily
gather the data, and that is just
what have done each spring for
several years. On March 16, last
year, / gave . shor: talk here and
also an address before the Associa-
ton Of Commerce at jamestown,
9As.AA6 ~ - As1y V1AsAAO1A~ tSA01 SAA0
state was due for more than the
usual precipitation in 1927, and
that the probability Of damaging
hot winds was slight. We feel that
we are indeed fortunate if we can
make q weather and temperature
forecast for SO hours in advance
and have it verified 80 times out of
100.
II wish to emphasize the fact that
the above statement regarding this
years crop outlook is not a fore
cast but an opinion based upon &C.
cumulated facts. During the sum-
mer months it is the duty Of the
weather bureau official in charge to
visit various parts Of the state and
to otherwise accumulate data shbw-
ing the effects Of weather and tenn.
perature on crops. If information
along this line is desired from time
to time, we will be glad to answer
all letters. telephone calls and tele-
grams"