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Presents a reply to the commentary of John W. Pawling regarding the author's paper "Early Perception of a High Plain in Michigan." Summary of the main points of the paper; Examination of the reviewer's comments; Contentions on Pawling's claims.

Comments on the paper "Early Perception of a High Plain in Michigan," by Bernard C. Peters that was previously published in the 1972 issue of "Annals of the Association of American Geographers." Inappropriateness of the paper's title; Ambiguity of the topic under discussion; Failure of Peters to document the reality of the interior plateau.

This paper introduces the term "landscape meteorology" to cover a variety of beliefs associating significant atmospheric processes and results with culturally induced features of the landscape. These beliefs, which became prominent during the period of discovery, played an important role in early America and during the settlement period of the Plains. In the forested East, weather and climate modification centered largely on deforestation and reforestation. The concept ot the tree-rainfall syndrome was also transferred to the West, where it received much attention. New and largely indigenous Western concepts regarding landscape forms of weather and climate modification stressed plowing the hard sod, facilitating electrical expression by means, and storing water and (including irrigation) to humidify and cool the air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Great Plains there is a clustering of social and economic activity around two major situations--the Sutland and the Yonland--which give character and identity to adjacent parts. To understand social phenomena in the region, to plan and guide social activities and processes, it is necessary to consider these two situations. In addition, because space is so great in the Plains, it represents a cost--a social cost. To keep this social cost within reason, it is necessary to have the Sutland and the Yonland function as separate entities for some things, but to have a high degree of interdependence in other things. To accomplish this, certain new institutional patterns and forms of social organization are emerging and must be improved upon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the continuous changes in the ranches in California. A sample study of the ranches in a small agricultural area was made in an effort to discover some information regarding the difference between this type of farming units with those of the other American agricultural areas. Oxnard area in California was selected as the sample for the study. The fertile Loamy soils and gently sloping surface toward the sea classify the area geornorphologically as a delta-fan plain. Climate is of the cool-summer Mediterranean type. Despite variations, the agricultural history of the Oxnard Area is generally representative of the land use sequence so common to California.

Summarizes the frequency and physical effect of chinook winds in the high plains region of Colorado. Overview of the chinook theory; Characteristics of chinook air in the plains area; Actual behavior of chinook winds; Identification of chinook winds.

Discusses geographic aspects of pump irrigation on the Nebraska Loess Plain in relation to subsurface physiography. High percentage of tillable land; Lack of dependable moisture when most needed; Local variations in subsurface water supplies; Stream gradients and underflow; Role of supplemental irrigation.