60 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The month of October was notable for the unusually early occur- 

 rence of frosts and freezing weather throughout the sugar and truck 

 regions of Louisiana and Texas. It is estimated that advance 

 warnings of these conditions issued from the District Forecast Cen- 

 ter at New Orleans during that month saved from destruction nearly 

 one-half of the sugar crop, worth millions of dollars; one-half of 

 the white and sweet potato crops, and large quantities of the small 

 matured vegetable crops in those regions. 



Several hundred thousand dollars' worth of truck was saved in 

 southern Florida as a result of cold wave warnings issued in the 

 early part of December, 1917. 



Live-stock warnings for the benefit of the cattle and sheep inter- 

 ests were reported as of great value, particularly during the lamb- 

 ing and shearing seasons. One of the warnings of this kind issued 

 in April, 1918, from the San Francisco forecast district center 

 resulted in the protection of over 100,000 new-born lambs and in the 

 postponement of the shearing of great numbers of sheep. 



The system for the preparation and distribution of warnings of 

 weather conditions favorable to the inception and spread of forest 

 fires has been considerably improved and extended to include warn- 

 ings of fire hazard conditions likely to result in damage or loss 

 in connection with crops, stock, other foodstuffs, and all kinds of 

 inflammable war material; and a number of these warnings was 

 issued during the year with beneficial results. A special station has 

 been established at Hampton, Oreg., for the carrying on of investi- 

 gations in connection with this service. 



The exceptionally severe weather of December, 1917, and January 

 and February, 1918, resulted in the issue of an unusually large number 

 of storm warnings and probably a larger number of cold-wave warn- 

 ings than during any other three months in the history of the bureau. 

 A total of 540 of the former and 1,339 of the latter were issued during 

 this period. Special attention was given to the distribution of these 

 warnings in the interest of conservation of food and fuel. 



A neAv application of special w^eather forecasts was made during 

 the year in connection with the forecasting of weather conditions 

 favorable to the spraying of fruit trees. This project was carried out 

 in the fruit regions of western New York with considerable success. 



TROPICAL STORMS. 



Only one tropical storm severe enough to justify the display of 

 hurricane warnings occurred during the year, namely, that of Sep- 

 tember 22-30, 1917. This moved from the central Caribbean Sea in 

 a general west-northwest direction to a position off the mouth of the 

 Mississippi River, whence it recurved sharply to the northeast and 

 entered the United States near Pensacola, Fla. The center of the 

 track crossed Jamaica and caused great destruction to the banana 

 industry on that island, and also caused great destruction on the 

 Isle of Pines and in western Cuba. Hurricane warnings in advance 

 of the storm were issued to points on the central Gulf coast from 

 New Orleans to Apalachicola and resulted in a great saving in life 

 and property. A barometer reading of 28.51, with a wind velocity 

 of 125 miles per hour, was recorded at Pensacola. 



