48 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



tions. The Secretary of War heartily accepted the suggestions and 

 preparations were made at once for the fullest cooperation in car- 

 rying out the plan. 



It was obvious that the activities of the bureau for the time being 

 at least would necessarily be extended to two primary projects: (1) 

 The forecasting of the weather for purely military operations, (2) 

 the sounding of the upper air for the benefit of aviators, ballonists, 

 and artillerists. 



In connection with the first project, one of the foremost forecasters 

 of the bureau has been commisioned major in the Signal Officers' 

 Reserve Corps and has been granted a furlough from the Weather 

 Bureau for that purpose. In the furtherance of his duties it is ex- 

 pected that the closest cooperation will exist with the French and 

 English meteorological services in the use of data obtained by them, 

 supplemented by additional observations in the field and cable re- 

 ports from the United States and its possessions. 



The official in charge of the aerological investigations of the 

 bureau has also been commissioned a major in the Signal Officers' 

 Reserve Corps and placed in charge of the military aerological Avork. 

 The aerological work heretofore performed by the Weather Bureau 

 will be continued, in addition to the enlarged activities made possi- 

 ble by the appropriation of $100,000 for this w^ork, as contained in 

 the Army bill, which became a law May 12, 1917. This item reads 

 as follows: 



For the establishment and maintenance by the Weather Bureau of additional 

 aerological stations, for observing, measuring, and investigating atmospheric 

 phenomena in the aid of aeronautics, including salaries, travel, and other ex- 

 penses in the city of Washington and elsewhere, $100,000, to be expended under 

 the direction of the Secretary of Agriculture. 



It is planned that, for the duration of the war, the aerological 

 work of the Weather Bureau and the Signal Corps shall be closely 

 coordinated, and that such of the free-air observations made at the 

 six primary stations to be operated by the Weather Bureau, as may 

 be required, shall be made telegraphically available to the military 

 authorities, supplementing similar observations made at the various 

 military stations conducted independently by the Signal Corps. All 

 of the data secured at the Weather Bureau and militaiy stations will 

 be turned over to the Weather Bureau for tabulation and study. 



Some details of the work of the bureau during the past year are 

 briefly summarized and discussed under separate topics, as follows: 



FORECASTS AND WARNINGS. 



DISTRIBUTION OF WEATHER FORECASTS. 



There was a considerable increase during the year in the number 

 of cooperating rural telephone lines, and a corresponding extension 

 of distribution to the farming communities. The forecasts by this 

 means reach the farmers in nearly all instances by noon of the day 

 of issue, and reports show that the ser^^ice is very highly valued. 

 Distribution by Avireless, which was expected to be extended, was 

 abridged or suspended through the control of all wireless communi- 

 cations exercised by the Government as a military necessity. The 

 distribution of the weekly forecasts was materially extended by tele- 



