178 EXPERIMENT STATION-BULLETINS. 



intention to continue the bulletin during the coming season and enlarge some- 

 what the amount of information that was supplied during the past year. 



Temperature Normals. — During the year the director has finished the 

 work of compiling the mean daily temperature for each section of the State, 

 and has had them published with the monthly reports. The work has occu- 

 pied the spare time of the office force during the better part of two years, 

 and it is with satisfaction that the director announces this work completed. 

 These normals will allow of a comparison of the mean daily and monthly 

 temperature of the State, and will be of great value to the people in 

 determining the temperature of the locality in which they reside, and also in 

 determining what trees or cereals are best adapted to their localities. These 

 normals were used during the past season, in connection with the crop- 

 bulletin to determine the departure each week of the mean daily temperature 

 from the average, and the consequent effect upon the crops. 



Precipitation Charts. — During the year the director has had compiled the 

 average monthly rainfall for each section of the State, and has had the 

 figures published in the monthly report. Believing that the information 

 thus compiled could be better shown by being charted, the director made a 

 chart of the State showing the average monthly rainfall for each month and 

 for the year. These charts were made up from the observations of 13 years, 

 and about 4,000 reports were examined and proved to obtain the data. 

 There was also made the charts of the monthly and annual rainfall for the 

 present year which are to accompany the normal charts. The board, at its 

 regular meeting, December 11, authorized the director to have these charts 

 photo-engraved. This has been done at a cost of $76.14 for the 26 charts, 

 and they are now ready for publication. These charts will be of great value 

 to the people of Michigan, as the rainfall can be readily compared with the 

 normal and thus ascertain in each locality, whether the rainfall has been the 

 average or not. In this connection the director would state that in Septem- 

 ber, 1887, he issued a circular calling for volunteers to take the daily rainfall, 

 and in response he obtained 30 observers who have been furnishing valuable 

 reports upon this important subject. These reports have been of the greatest 

 service in making up these charts, as can be readily seen upon examination, 

 and show conclusively the peculiarities of the rainfall in this State. This 

 subject will receive the careful attention of the director during the coming 

 year, and its close connection with the growing of crops. 



Office Force — The office force consists of the director, and the assistant to 

 the director, Mr. E. H. Nimmo. They have compiled all the vast amount 

 of data that has come from this service during the year. I wish to recom- 

 mend the work of Mr. Nimmo, who has proved a very efficient assistant, and 

 has performed all work assigned to him with promptness and ability, and to 

 his quick work is due, in a measure, the amount of work accomplished by 

 the central office. 



The service may be said to be now established, and if the favor with which 

 it is received by the people is any indication of its worth, it has come to stay, 

 and I would recommend that it be permanently established as it is now oper- 

 ated, under the control of the State Board of Agriculture. 



In closing this report, the director desires to express his grateful apprecia- 

 tion of the hearty co-operation of the board, as a whole, and to the members 

 individually, for their support has been of great value in carrying on the 

 work of the service. 



