Temperature

With the exceptions of portions of California, Arizona, and Texas the average annual surface temperature of the dry-farm territory of the United States ranges from 40 deg to 55 deg F. The average is not far from 45 deg F. This places most of the dry-farm territory in the class of cold regions, though a small area on the extreme east border may be classed as temperate, and parts of California and Arizona as warm.  The range in temperature from the highest in summer to the lowest in winter is considerable, but not widely different from other similar parts of the United States.  The range is greatest in the interior mountainous districts, and lowest along the seacoast.  The daily range of the highest and lowest temperatures for any one day is generally higher over dry-farm sections than over humid districts.  In the Plateau regions of the semiarid country the average daily variation is from 30 to 35 deg F., while east of the Mississippi it is only about 20 deg F. This greater daily range is chiefly due to the clear skies and scant vegetation which facilitate excessive warming by day and cooling by night.

The important temperature question for the dry-farmer is whether the growing season is sufficiently warm and long to permit the maturing of crops.  There are few places, even at high altitudes in the region considered, where the summer temperature is so low as to retard the growth of plants.  Likewise, the first and last killing frosts are ordinarily so far apart as to allow an ample growing season.  It must be remembered that frosts are governed very largely by local topographic features, and must be known from a local point of view.  It is a general law that frosts are more likely to occur in valleys than on hillsides, owing to the downward drainage of the cooled air.  Further, the danger of frost increases with the altitude.  In general, the last killing frost in spring over the dry-farm territory varies from March 15 to May 29, and the first killing frost in autumn from September 15 to November 15.  These limits permit of the maturing of all ordinary farm crops, especially the grain crops.

Relative humidity

At a definite temperature, the atmosphere can hold only a certain amount of water vapor.  When the air can hold no more, it is said to be saturated.  When it is not saturated, the amount of water vapor actually held by the air is expressed in percentages of the quantity required for saturation.  A relative humidity of 100 per cent means that the air is saturated; of 50 per cent, that it is only one half saturated.  The drier the air is, the more rapidly does the water evaporate into it.  To the dry-farmer, therefore, the relative humidity or degree of dryness of the air is of very great importance.  According to Professor Henry, the chief characteristics of the geographic distribution of relative humidity in the United States are as follows:—­

(1) Along the coasts there is a belt of high humidity at all seasons, the percentage of saturation ranging from 75 to 80 per cent.