256 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



not be given the railroad authorities in establishing a system of observa- 

 tion of temperature, rainfall, etc., at many of their stations from the first 

 opening of the railroad. By these reports a knowledge of the climate of 

 this State is now obtainable. Had it been otherwise our reports on the 

 meteorology and climatology of this State would be meagre indeed. 



A report of the rainfall by months for the season of 1886-7, up to March 

 1, 1887, compiled in the office of the officer in charge of the Pacific Coast 

 Division, Signal Service, U. S. A., by H. E. Wilkinson, private Signal 

 Corps, U. S. A., San Francisco, California. This table gives the rainfall 

 for the entire Pacific Coast, and is of great value for reference and com- 

 parison with the season of 1885-6. 



A condensed report of the weather at Carson City, Nevada, by Charles 

 W. Friend, Director of that State's weather service. 



A table containing the total rainfall, average temperature by seasons, the 

 highest and lowest temperature, and the average annual number of clear 

 days for different points in the Southern States and Pacific Coast. This 

 table was prepared for the especial purpose of comparison with California. 

 As usual, this State stands at the head in mildness of temperature and 

 number of clear days. 



A table of seasonal temperature at different points in Europe, mostly 

 in Spain, France, and Italy. This table gives convincing evidence that 

 the Winter climate of California from Redding to San Diego is superior to 

 that of the great riviera of Italy which lias so recently been shaken by a 

 series of earthquake shocks, and also contains the celebrated gambling 

 place of Monte Carlo. This is a very valuable table in conjunction with 

 a similar one of California for the purpose of comparison, etc. 



This State is now on the high road to a rapid increase in the population 

 by a general "boom" at all points, but at present mostly confined to the 

 great valleys and southern portion. I would suggest that a " State AVeather 

 Service " would be the very thing to help along the boom, because it would 

 give reliable data on the climate of all portions of the State 



A State weather service is sadly needed now. especially as various sec- 

 tions are working hard to boom their individual portions of the State. 

 The whole State would be benefited by such a service. 



The object of a State weather service should be to observe and utilize 

 every feature that affects the prosperity of the inhabitants of the State, as 

 to crops, health, life, etc. The State service is, therefore, essentially a 

 plan for gathering and utilizing local data, and eventually it will define 

 precisely the localities most favorable to special crops, diseases, etc. The 

 idea is certainly a noble one. The plan of the State sendee is to have a 

 central office and a State Director, and at least from one to four voluntary 

 observers in each county, who will keep a record of temperature and rain- 

 fall, and report the same to the Central Office of the State weekly and 

 monthly. Attention is invited to the following advantages of a " State 

 weather service:" 



1. It will be the means of soon securing better predictions of weather 

 changes and storms. 



2. It will bring the benefits of the Signal Service of the United States 

 into every county of California participating in the State local organiza- 

 tion, and will be widely beneficial to agricultural interests. 



3. It will give to every county the Government Standards for tempera- 

 ture, rainfall, wind velocity, humidity, etc., which are sources of useful 

 public information. 



4. It will put within the reach of local agricultural societies means of 



