Show fi SnOwfall and EXt Ssi Dryness f atur of tb the W Weather During 1904 The Tho weather durIn during the year pro pre presented two remarkable features that serve to distinguish it ft from that of for former mer iner years The first in chronological order was the excessive amount of snowfall that tell fell over the northern half f the state during the winter whiter of an amount that was as far In excess of the normal and possibly th the largest that ever tell fell over that portIon of the state durin during one n neson for many Y years The oth other r remarkable feature oddly enough was t the e r erse condition of at extreme dryness that pre prevailed II during the year From the mIddle pC of Octo Octor r to nearly the middle of December a dr tight cf I extraordinary intensity and prevailed over the state Other have hae Indeed od r l or of t i r hap ever longer but they bore more or less n a local lo At Atno Atno no tIme in the history nf Jf th weather ea cr bureau was the entire state under the Of f the Iryne s to such an extent as has been Um the care during the present ut The Tho other noteworthy features of the weather er d inS t the 1 year were t Ite that prevailed during Mi that were or of great and benefit fit and 1 that ill in alt ull likelihood saved the crops in inthe inthe the southern half of the state from Im Impending ImpendIng pending failure aini the r cold spell that V the U to hen in the more elevated d portions r f the state fall r ably below the point with UI a frosts vese vege tatton tation considerably The winter months d cde from the excessIve I y mentioned and which wa Va to 10 the northern bait alf of at the state noHh g gery very ery remarkable The usual weather vea with I its altel la ty P d freezing and Q tH he with ua 15 were nott not romark e 1 Q f n nh h the ot of February a coil ol wave culmination over me tx x areas zero temp 3 were recorded the mercury In ninny many Ic stances falling to over twenty degrees below zero This was th the coldest J ic or of the winter In sm general ho hoever how however ever temperatures du luJ January ry were slightly below th al W iI in February they were tl J and In March slightly above AG Ac regards precipitation con jion over the southern part went the tle i I reverse everse of those existIng over the northern There the lJ weather r I was characterized d by lUs I calling forth that hat gra e anxiety for the growing s i Was Normal During the spring generally prevailed the only onh ant fe feature ture of the season b being S1 a sty V I re snowstorm that sw Pt l the state durIng the last de derale cf J April 1111 PreCIpitation during April and ure une did noty not the normal mount amount and this was th tho ease with the temperature during the two months t the spring sea oz June Was however somewhat cold r than thun the he average The ly feature ot of the sprIng was ho v r ty OJ heavy heay rains that len fell during May Ilay as has already bean be ri observed These Thes 1 were partIcularly heavy over oer ern ens portion of at the state where the they were mostly needed and e c Jf lieving ving the conditions teat hM hid heretofore prevailed oV over r that ri re glen glon These rains 1 ej the ground replenished the sU ply of cf irrigation water which had been bEe l en entirely JI inadequate to meet the demands to be an impending crop In jute at measure of success ess j Q t the e summer off tf q the S 1 b l nn that con markedly with the settled weather veather that usually characterizes thIs season or of the year These thunder thunderstorms storms were In many panted by high winds cloUdbursts and hall hail that damaged vegetation consider considerably abl ably locally Mention has alread already been severe cold spell that pre prevailed durIng the last decade of Jug aug uh during these two month were in general belo below tie aver average average age September was wan marked by fine weather Clear skies gen generally prevailed and no precipItation of any moment oc until the last de decade decad cad cade when durIng a period ot of ns weather ath r almost st the entire precipitation of the month fell which however decidedly below the nor normal normal mal amoUnt autumn w S lS as has already be been n bri fly relate characterized by clear 1 skies and almost entire lack of During the of October story ther prevailed which reached its climax on the when a severe storm passed o over er the northern halt half haltof of the state Beginning as rain the precipitation under the influence ot of the constantly f filling lUng temperatures changed to snow siow Front thia to the middle of December sc scarcely cely a drop ot of precipitation fell feU over the entire state pe perIod nod the Sky w war generally free from even the merest speck ot of a clout cloud an anthe the ground with the dry dryness ness took on the character of tine fine lour flour The Fhe atmosphere was rendered turbid b by the dust that the breeZe would waft into it This long iong I continued drought was in a measure broken by the stormy conditions that prevailed Over the middle and northern portions of the state from the th to the of oC December but the fall of snow was hardly sufficient to thor thoroughly relieve the dryness Of the soil soU and moisture Is Imperatively needed over the southern part Dart ot or the state Crops the State C The crops t the p state dependent ns as Sire atm almost Olt ex on the va 1 w r and the con fUu condition condition growth the various changes both beneficIal and In I urious that took J Place lace In the weather during the year The roVing growing season over the northern half started out un unc c r mo mort t favorable auspices The ground Wa Was q well d a liberal sup SUr Jy of asas assured even be belore tore lore the winter whlter season was well ad andall indications pOinted to large yields of SIll all kInds especially ot of I mu grain These prospects were after afterwards afterwards wards abundantly realized Never had the state been blessed with such largo large crops ot of these staples On ar arM l farms to the abundant moIsture and torn hall haG been SOD soaked led the were extraordinarIly large and ot god CUR t Over Oer the southern portion owing to the dry Weather ie indeed gloomy The ground was drY and irrIgation water scarce ranges too were tn in bad condition This state ot of affairs was re to some ex extent during March but butas butas i as nt abated until May I 1 n under th the l U l ence of heavy heay rains tile ground was thoroughly tb and ditches s ng liquid that was waste to te prove the salvation or of tue tite crops FuJI and spring wheat be beran ran to toward the close ot of tsUng was rapid h dwa the month ony th the tsa ci of August fall faU grain had been practically all and dur ing the this work had beer bEen c d n the cereals The re results of the seasons growth have already be been n stated Two lage crops of lucerne were secured and anda no a fair third crop rop Tomatoes s and other vegetables s cC Injury from the frosts during Curing t e latter part of August but notwIthstanding fair yields were real realIzed zed T The e yield of f sugar Was tar far above the average quality and I quantity Fruit Frutt In spite of seine draw I tacks Lacks yielded well especially applies The wool during ie he sprIng was torY inn stock owing to lo th condition ot o th range thrived t throughout the whOle season in fine condition I Curing the early fall faU conditions were exceptionally favorable for the pursuit of farming operations Clear weather r except during the mIddle of October when generous rains placed the soil soU in fine con condition for plowing Unfortunately those these favorable conditions did not continue for during the long drought that subsequently pro pre OllIe and or of which special mention has been made elsewhere even the wheat whIch had already gErminated come up in localities to gc bC od stands suffered from extreme dry dryness dryness ness The wheat however r vas v as still sUil lying In the ground dormant for the lack of moisture What effect the late snows will have hae on the seed Is isas as y yet t too early to Alto Altogether Altogether gether the prospects are not brIght for tor the coming season It is however too early to forecast for the growing season of 1906 1206 and all an yet et be re retrieved b bc a generous faIl raU of durIng the remainder of the winter RJ R J HYATT HYAT Director |