WEATHER BUREAU. 53 



INSPECTION OF COOPERATIVE STATIONS. 



A recognition of the great benefits to be derived from a more 

 frequent inspection of cooperative stations by the trained officials 

 of the bureau resulted in a considei-able increase in this work during 

 the past year, and provisions have been made whereby all cooperative 

 stations are to be visited at least once in each three years if possible. 

 Improvement is always noted in the records from stations that have 

 been inspected ; more uniform methods of exposure are adopted, 

 points of doubt as to the manner of observing and recording the 

 indications of the instruments are cleared up, the observers become 

 more enthusiastic in their work, and frequently the continuation of a 

 station, where the observer had grown tired of the work, results from 

 the personal appeal of the inspector. 



NEW CLIMATOLOGICAL SERVICE IN ALASKA. 



Beginning with the new calendar year provision has been made for 

 the establishment of a full climatological service for Alaska, with 

 headquarters at Juneau. Reports are now being received with more 

 or less regularity from about 60 points in that Territory, and printed 

 summaries similar to those for the States are being prepared. 



An annual summary of climatological data, 1915, for the Territory 

 was prepared mainly at the central office of the bureau and printed 

 at the Seattle station. Action has also been taken to prepare a simi- 

 lar report for 1916, which will likewise be printed at the Seattle 

 office. 



ATLAS OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



The preparation of climatological data for the proposed atlas of 

 American agriculture has progressed, and the precipitation section, 

 consisting of about 80 separate charts and diagrams, illustrating in 

 great detail the distribution of the precipitation over the entire 

 country, together with about 15,000 words of text, have been for- 

 warded to the Public Printer. Work on the temperature and mis- 

 cellaneous sections, embracing about the same number of charts with 

 appropriate text, has also been nearly completed and much of the 

 matter has already been forwarded for printing. 



SNOW AND ICE BULLETIN. 



The weekly bulletin showing the snow and ice conditions over 

 the country during the winter season was somewhat enlarged by addi- 

 tional reports from the high mountain regions of the West, thereby 

 permitting better estimates of the prospective water supply for irri- 

 gation and other important uses. A new base chart, showing the 

 latest attempts at depicting the topography of the country, put in 

 use during the past winter, has added greatly to a proper interpre- 

 tation of the snowfall values appearing on the chart and in the accom- 

 panying tables. 



The snow bulletins issued for each of the western mountain States 

 were also considerably enlarged. by the addition of reports from 

 points in the mountains. 



