WEATHER BUREAU. 125 



observers, who receive many requests for statements concerning 

 the precipitation for certain specified periods. These requests will 

 doubtless greatly increase as this form of protection grows, and it 

 promises serious comj)lications in the way of payment for service, 

 possible errors of record due to attempts to secure data for other 

 than the regular hours of observation, etc. 



SPECIAL WORK ACCOMPLISHED DURING THE YEAR. 



The preparation of the daily normals of maximum, minimum, and 

 mean temperatures was continued during the year, the reduction of 

 the short-record stations to the full 46-year period being a task 

 of great magnitude, and only slow progress has been possible owing 

 to press of current work. 



The reprinting of the sections of Bulletin W, which had made good 

 progress during the preceding year, made little advance during the 

 fiscal year just closed, on account of lack of funds. The printing 

 of 25 additional of these sections was authorized near the close of 

 the year, but they still remain unprinted. 



The program outlined some years ago for collecting, tabulating, 

 and printing of weather statistics from foreign countries was taken 

 up during the fiscal year just closed by the assignment to the division 

 of an assistant versed in such matters. Considerable progress has 

 been made in assembling the data for the Central and South Ameri- 

 can States, and one section, that on Central American States and 

 adjacent areas, has been published in the Weather Review and 

 separates obtained for distribution as required. Other sections for 

 the principal South American countries are mainly ready for publi- 

 cation, but are being held for additional data that may be forthcom- 

 ing from other sources than our library affords. 



A proposed section covering the islands of the Pacific is also well 

 on the road to completion. 



THE MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW AND PRINTING. 



The Monthly Weather Review, now in its fifty-first year of publi- 

 cation, continues to serve as an important medium in the diffusion 

 of information concerning the results of research in meteorology in 

 all parts of the civilized world. It also enables the United States to 

 meet its international obligations to furnish other nations and Gov- 

 ernments with a statistical resume of the meteorology and clima- 

 tology of an important part of the North American Continent. 



The number of copies of the above-named publication that shall 

 be printed for free distribution has been limited. As the demand 

 for it increases it becomes embarrassing to distinguish between those 

 who should receive it gratis and those who should be required to sub- 

 scribe for it through the Superintendent of Documents. The expe- 

 rience of the bureau leads to the belief that the time is fast approach- 

 ing when free distribution to individuals as such must be restricted 

 to those who can qualify under certain broad requirements, such, for 

 example, as being a collaborator or cooper ator with the bureau, an 

 educational institution offering a course in meteorology, libraries, 

 and workers in agricultural colleges and experiment stations. 



On account of the special courses being given by educational in- 

 stitutions throughout the country in meteorology and kindred sub- 



