€2 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



ANM AL KEPOKT OF MICHIGAN WEATIJER SERVICE FOR 

 THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1900. 



To the State Board of Agriculture: 



Gkntlemkn — The service has continued under the immediate charge 

 of :Mr. C. F. Selmcider. who is detailed bv tlie Chief of llie IT. S. Weather 

 IJiireau. The headquarters' ollice is in the Federal buildinj^- at Lansing. 

 No particular new work has been taken up during the 3'ear, the energy 

 of the central office being directed principally along the line of improv- 

 ing the observation service and the distribution of the daily forecasts, 

 frost and cold wave warnings. 



VOLUNTARY OBSERVING STATIONS. 



• 



The total number of Aoluntary observing stations at the close of the 

 year was 116, a net gain of seven during the year. With but very few ex- 

 ceptions the stations have made daily observations and rei)orted 

 monthly. As a whole the work of the voluntary observer has been very 

 efficient and satisfactory. The instrumental equipment of the stations is 

 an instrument shelter, maximum thermometer, minimum thermoMieter 

 and rain gauge. In some cases padlocks have been furnished for locking 

 the instrument shelters. During the closing months of the year eight 

 new stations were established in the upper peninsula, one of them being 

 located on Isle Royale. The immediate object of these additional sta- 

 tions was the collection of precipitation statistics of the Lake Superior 

 basin. 



Since the opening of the Chicago drainage canal and the rapid for- 

 warding work in the Soo water power canal the matter of our lake levels 

 has become exceedingly important, not only to the vast shipping inter- 

 ests afloat upon them, but particularly to Michigan, which derives much 

 of her wealth and livelihood from the commerce afforded by the lakes. 

 The matter of lake levels has been a subject of considerable conjecture, 

 but this service hopes that it will soon obtain abundant and reliable 

 rainfall and snowfall statistics that will greatly aid in solving many 

 perplexing questions connected with the lake levels. 



The service has also established several new stations in the great 

 sandy barrens of the northeastern portion of the lower peninsula. Data 

 from them will undoubtedly prove valuable in the study of the great 

 problem of utilizing that w'aste tract. 



The approjjriation which the State makes for the equipment of these 

 stations is barely sufficient to meet present needs; we have, however, 

 been able to fully equip all stations. The problem which now confronts 

 the service is the maintenance and repair of the instrumental equip- 

 ment. The instrument shelters when first furnished had two coats of 

 white lead and oil ; weathering of tw'o or three years' time wears this 

 coat of oil and lead badly and in the interest of economy they should all 

 be thoroughly repainted; this will cost not less than |2.50 per shelter, 

 and for 116 shelters |290. The small appropriation which the service 

 has at its command does not allow us to do this work very rapidly; 



