STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 181 



of Minnesota it was 30.8 inches. The disparity of readings was 

 unusual, which gave the storm its peculiar force. 



The 3 p.m. chart represents the low as central on the coast of 

 New Hampshire, with the zero line comparatively unchanged. 



The night observation of the 9th shows the low area in Cen- 

 tral Maine, with zero extending still more to the eastward. The 

 temperature is rising rapidly in Southern Texas and the south- 

 west, but still falling in Florida, having now reached thirty de- 

 grees in the central portion of the peninsula. 



Our next chart represents the storm at its maximum. This 

 is the morning of the 10th. The low barometer has now reached 

 the mouth of the St. Lawrence, and the zero line extends from 

 Utah, through New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Ala- 

 bama, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia, and the line of thir- 

 ty degrees across Florida as far south as Punta Rassa. 



Our last chart is a review of the movement of the low baro- 

 meter during the storm. The series of ink-spots beginning in 

 Colorado, and ending near the mouth of the St. Lawrence river, 

 represents the center of the low at the tri-daily observations, 

 from the origin of the storm to its close. It will be remembered 

 that we are considering the movements of a storm of unusual 

 character. Most storms pass more directly across our territory, 

 the terminals generally being the eastern slope of the Rocky 

 Mountains and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Signal Service pre- 

 dictions are based on this general rule. Again, the estimated 

 velocity of movement is based on the knowledge of the aver- 

 age hourly progress of such storms. The high per cent, of 

 correct predictions (about eight-five) inspires us with confi- 

 dence and we have learned to consult the daily weather pre- 

 dictions with some expectations of their subsequent verification. 

 When one fails, however, we are inclined to criticize meteorolog- 

 ical science and to insist that, after all, it is mere guess work. 

 But the fair minded and intelligent observer must realize, from 

 what has been said, how utterly impossible it would be to correct- 

 ly anticipate the direction and force of a storm of the charac- 

 ter of the one we are considering, where there is such a wide de- 

 parture from the uniform rule. When the telegraph and Signal 

 Service shall have extended their dominion over British Amer- 

 ica and Mexico, we shall know more of the laws of storms affect- 

 ing our continent. Then we shall be more surely warned as to 

 their character and the probable time of their arrival amongst us, 

 but, certain facts concerning them will, doubtless forever, re- 

 main beyond the ken of human knowledge. 



As already stated, this storm was very disastrous in its effects 

 in the extreme south. Florida orange orchardists suffered im- 

 mense loss, while the whole of the Gulf coast experienced a 

 cooling off almost or quite unparalleled in the memories of the 

 present generation. While this is true as regards the character 



