314 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc 



EEPORT OF METEOROLOGIST 



By PROF. WM. G. OWENS. 



The relation of meteorology to agriculture is the subject upon 

 which I have been asked to speak. Meteorology is defined as "that 

 department of natural philosophy that treats of the phenomenon of 

 the atmosphere, especially those that relate to the weather and 

 climate, their relations to each other and the laws to which they are 

 subject." It would seem at first glance, that farming had nothing to 

 do with these subjects; but a closer inspection will make it evident 

 that the weather and climate control the precipitation and drought, 

 and frost being determining factors upon every farm. The subject 

 has been broadened by use, and in the government meteorological re- 

 ports, I find discussed such subjects as "Domestic Water Supply;" 

 "Hard Water and Cooking;" "County Pollution of Wells;" "Sewage 

 and the Farm;" "Deforestiug the Cause of Floods;" "Period of 

 Plant Growth," and kindred subjects. This opens a field which is 

 of vital importance to the farmer. Both the State and Federal 

 governments have established observation stations within their ter- 

 ritories where systematic records are kept and sent to the head 

 office. These data are systematized and the results can be obtained. 

 There are two classes of reports; one by paid observers which are 

 telegraphed daily to headquarters, giving the direction of the wind, 

 temperature precipitations, barometric pressure, and any other 

 phenomena which would help the head office to determine the move- 

 ment of storms, frosts and floods. Weather charts, maps and warn- 

 ings, are sent out daily to those districts most nearly affected so that 

 the farmer and shipper can take care of his products and get them 

 to market in the best condition. These warnings, of course, affect 

 some classes of farmers more than others, as there are some crops 

 which can be protected from frost or other misfortune and thus 

 saved. Some of these warnings are said to have saved hundred of 

 thousand of dollars in some districts. 



The other class of observers are the voluntary, or, as they are 

 now called, co-operative observers. These get no remuneration and 

 make daily observations which are sent in duplicate to State head- 

 quarters, and they send one copy to Washington. These observa- 

 tions include maximum and minimum temperature and the tempera- 

 ture at the time of observation; amount of rain or snow in the last 

 24 hours; amount of snow on ground at sunset; direction of the 

 wind, character of the day, time of killing frosts, thunder storms, 

 halos — solar or lunar, etc. Just lately the Pennsylvania observers 

 have been asked to report especially the forms of halos and to note 

 the angles and appearances of suudogs, etc. I was also asked to in- 

 clude earthquakes and tremors, but as I have not noticed any in the 

 last twenty or twenty-five years during which 1 have been observing, 

 I do not think that will be difficult. All these observations by hun- 

 dreds of stations are made to learn, if possible, the laws as well as 

 to make possible the forecasting of the weather. 



