WKATHER BUREAU. 81 



CLIMATIC DATA. 



The various tables, charts, and discussions of weather conditions 

 for the Monthly Weatiier Iveview and the Annual Report of the 

 Chief of the Weather Bureau, emanating from the division, were 

 prepared in the usual form. Special effort is being made to secure 

 each year more complete statistics on the occurrence and distribution 

 of hail and the amou!it of damage from tornadoes and other wind- 

 storms for publication in the section reports as well as in the Annual 

 Eeport of the Chief of the Weather Bureau. It is also contemplated 

 adding to the last-named publication the summarized data on evapo- 

 ration now being accumulated. 



The monthly and annual climatological reports for the several 

 States were issued as in previous years, although considerable delay 

 has occurred at several sections due to insufficient printing force. In 

 the absence of any criticism it is assumed they present the data in 

 the form desired by the public, and despite continued efforts to 

 economize in their issue on account of the high cost of production 

 the mailing lists continue to grow. 



COOPERATIVE STATIONS. 



As in previous years, effort has been directed toward improved 

 character of records made by the several thousand cooperative ob- 

 servers, rather than to extend their number. This has been accom- 

 plished in the main, although some departures from the established 

 regulations governing the distribution of these stations have ap- 

 peared necessary. On the Avhole, however, the number of stations has 

 not been materially increased, and opportunity has been afforded in 

 several instances fo reduce fully equipped stations to the status of 

 rainfall stations only, so that the number of full temperature and 

 rainfall stations probably remains about as in previous years. 



Owing to a general spirit of unrest, changes in observers were prob- 

 ably more frequent than in previous years, this being more especially 

 the case where the observations are maintained by corporations, rail- 

 road companies, and municipal institutions. Considering all factors 

 affecting the cooperative work, it is really remarkable that, with 

 labor at such a premium, so many people are willing to give the time 

 necessary to perform this work without a thought of remuneration. 

 In fact, a recent attempt on the part of one or two observers to form 

 an organization of cooperative observers to demand a place on the 

 Government pay roll met with almost universal condemnation and 

 refusal to associate for such a purpose. 



INSPECTION OF STATIONS. 



The policy adopted several years ago of inspecting the cooperative 

 stations at least once in each three years was carried out as fully as 

 the funds and the general shortage of help at the section centers would 

 permit. The extent of those inspections, however, fell far sliort of 

 the program outlined and that really necessary to maintain the 

 service at the highest standard of efficiency. 



