10 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



infancy and that the information which this study will bring forth, for 

 the benefit of horticulturists and agriculturists, can not be doubted for a 

 moment. 



The transfer of the national bureau from the war to the agricultural 

 department promises to bring out these very facts, and the investigation of 

 the effect of climate on fruits and cereals will be one which will undoubt- 

 edly be undertaken very early, and as this subject is now challenging the 

 careful attention of those who have made a study of the subject, it will 

 soon develop a new field of information which will be of great value. 



The study of these conditions can not be made without the data for 

 making the study, and the weather service is gathering this data at a very 

 small expense and placing it in shape so that it can be readily used for 

 this purpose. It is not the only function of the service to collect this data 

 and publish it for the information of the citizens of the state, but more 

 especially to gather it and put it into shape so that this very investigation 

 may be carried on and some general benefit derived by all classes. 



Some trees or grains prosper better in some counties (soil being equal) 

 than in others, and there must be some good reason for this; and if, as sur- 

 mised, it is the temperature or rainfall, then let us have the information 

 so that we can designate these counties and use the fruits and 

 cereals that are best adapted to those portions of the state. 



Temperature and rainfall are not constant in their action; that is, if the 

 average for Allegan county for June is sixty-three degrees of temperature 

 and four inches of rainfall, it is not to be said that these will occur every 

 year, but at the same time we can from this data establish a normal of 

 what is rightly to be expected, and from this normal show the effect that 

 is to be anticipated on the fruit or grains, and the consequent yield. 



This information is now being furnished by the service and the experi- 

 ence of the past three years would go to uphold this belief and that the 

 statement is founded on fact. 



The service furnishes each week during the growing season a bulletin 

 which gives the normal temperature for each day, the average daily for the 

 period, and the total amount of rainfall and its distribution over the state. 



This information keeps you informed of the progress of the crops dur- 

 ing each week of the season, and can be made of use to the horticulturists 

 as well as the agriculturists; for, as it is supposed that a major portion of 

 those who devote their time to horticulture also have farms and grow the 

 different grains for profit, this information is applicable to you in both 

 cases. 



The collection of this information is in the hands of good observers who 

 volunteer their time, and some not only furnish their time but also the 

 necessary instruments; and the data, after being received at the central 

 office, is compiled and proved and then published for the information of all 

 who may desire to use it. The state has one of the most valuable plants 

 for the work of any state service, and an excellent corps of observers, who 

 freely devote time for this work, where furnished with the necessary instru- 

 ments. The instruments used for the collection of the climatic data are 

 one barometer, four thermometers (one dry, one wet, for the dew-point 

 and humidity), one maximum and one minimum thermometer, and one 

 rain-gauge and measuring stick. The wind is estimated from a regular 

 scale used by all voluntary observers for this purpose. These instruments 

 give us the same information as that furnished by the national bureau, 

 and the observations are taken at the same hours, so that they are compar- 

 able with the standard observations, and are therefore of more value. 



