288 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



tliat tlie country is fairly well covered willi those stations, it has 

 l)een the policy not to extend the cooperative work save in a few 

 important newly settled districts. Requests are being constantly 

 received, however, asking for new stations and claiming that the 

 local interests demand their establishment. 



SPECIAL 8KRVICE8. 



The corn and wheat, cotton, and sugar and rice region services 

 were continued, with slight increas-c in the number of reporting sta- 

 tions. Ivoports fi-om over 400 regular and sj)ccial stations are now 

 being us<'d in these services. In the corn and wheat region 12 central 

 points issue daily a total of more than 1,000 bulletins, while 20 stations 

 in the cotton belt issue more than 1,500 bulletins. These services are 

 rapidly becoming more poj:)ular, as evidenced by the increasing cir- 

 culation of the bulletins and the many and persistent demands that 

 have been made for the extension of the cotton and corn and wheat 

 services westward into the more newly settled territory. 



'J'he policy of combining under a single observer the work done for 

 the buieau at points where two observers had heretofore been em- 

 ployed has been continued. Thirty-four such combinations were 

 accomplished during the year, resulting in some saving in pay to 

 observers, a decrease in telegraph tolls, and less work in the prepara- 

 tion and auditing of accounts. 



INSTRUMENT DIVISION. 



The routine work of the Insti-ument Division, comprising the 

 issue and maintenance of the standard instrumental equipment at 

 all stations, has been maintained in a thorough manner throughout 

 the year. 



SPECIAL INSTRUMENTAL EQUII'MENTS. 



Early in July, 1911, the officials of the city of New York re- 

 quested the Weather Buivau to take over and operate the Central 

 Park Meteorological Observatory, founded and for man}' years 

 maintained by Dr. Daniel Draper. This was promptly done, and, in 

 order to carry on proper comparisons between the Draper instru- 

 ments and the standard types used by the Weather Bureau, a com- 

 plete equi])uient of the latter was installed in August. Comparative 

 records will be maintained for a year or more for the purpose of 

 mak'ing as complete connection as possible between the old records 

 and those that will be obtained in future. 



Shielded rain and snow gauges were installed for comparative 

 observations at stations in the Denver section, under ]\Ir. Branden- 

 burg; at Yellowstone Park, under Mr. Gittings; and in the Utah 

 section, under Mr. Thiessen. These oflicials have reported generally 

 satisfactory results, together with suggestions for structural modi- 

 fications to overcome difficulties experienced. In all cases the records 

 of snowfall from these gauges are 20 per cent to 25 per cent greater 

 than obtained by the customaiy means. It seems advisable, there- 

 fore, to extend the installation of these gauge? as means and op- 

 portunity permit, having due regard to the suitability of the location 

 and exposure and the probable permanence of the station. 



Upon the request of the Chief of the Bureau of Animal Industry, 

 Prof. Marvin, of the Weather Bureau, was detailed to recommend 



