In
this volume, the terms "arid," "semiarid," "sub-humid" and "humid"
are used as above defined.
Precipitation over the dry-farm territory
Nearly one half of the United States receives 20 inches or less
rainfall annually; and that when the strip receiving between 20 and
30 inches is added, the whole area directly subject to reclamation
by irrigation or dry-farming is considerably more than one half (63
per cent) of the whole area of the United States.
Eighteen states are included in this area of low rainfall. The areas
of these, as given by the Census of 1900, grouped according to the
annual precipitation received, are shown below:--
Arid to Semi-arid Group
Total Area Land Surface (Sq. Miles)
Arizona 112,920
California 156,172
Colorado 103,645
Idaho 84,290
Nevada 109,740
Utah 82,190
Wyoming 97,545
TOTAL 746,532
Semiarid to Sub-Humid Group
Montana 145,310
Nebraska 76,840
New Mexico 112,460
North Dakota 70,195
Oregon 94,560
South Dakota 76,850
Washington 66,880
TOTAL 653,095
Sub-Humid to Humid Group
Kansas 81,700
Minnesota 79,205
Oklahoma 38,830
Texas 262,290
TOTAL 462,025
GRAND TOTAL 1,861,652
The territory directly interested in the development of the methods
of dry-farming forms 63 per cent of the whole of the continental
United States, not including Alaska, and covers an area of 1,861,652
square miles, or 1,191,457,280 acres.
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