630 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



general growth. It is almost needless to say that the pail must 

 be secured against being overturned by the wind, animals, or 

 accidental causes. Such a collector of rainfall constitutes 

 almost an ideal rain and snow gauge, and it remains only to 

 explain how to measure the collected precipitation properly. 

 This is best done by weighing the contents of the pail. A bal- 

 ance should be used that will give jLhe weight accurately in 

 ounces or half ounces. If such a scale is not already in the pos- 

 session of the farmer, it will more than repay him to buy one 

 of the inexpensive spring balances such as shown in the cut 

 herewith. If now the diameter of the pail is just 10}^ inches 

 at the topmost edge, each ounce of water collected represents 

 two-hundredths of an inch of rainfall, or, in figures, 0.02. Many 

 12-gallon pails are exactly 10}^ inches at the topmost edge. If, 

 for example, after a rainfall the pail and its contained water is 

 found to weigh, say 3 pounds 8 ounces, and the empty pail 

 alone weighs only 1 pound 14 ounces, the difference gives 1 

 pound 10 ounces net = 26 ounces; 26X.02 = .52 inches of rain. 

 The measurement of the contents of the pail by weighing 

 avoids all difficulties as to whether the precipitation is in the 

 form of rain or snow. The result is always the equivalent 

 depth of rainfall. Moreover, a pail with sloping sides is just 

 as good as, in fact it is better than, one with vertical or parallel 

 sides. In each case, however, the diameter must be just 103^ 

 at the top inside edge, so that each half ounce of collected ma- 

 terial represents one-hundredth of an inch of precipitation. The 

 record should be taken at about the same time each day — 

 weather observers record one day's fall regularly at 5 p. m. In 

 hot weather, when water evaporates quickly, the record should 

 be made as soon after the rain has stopped as is practicable. 



LIVE STOCK MARKETS FOR YEAR 1913. 



(Compiled by W. L. Nelson from market papers and other sources. Photos by author.) 



Many factors contributed toward making the year 1913 

 an unusual one in live stock. Tariff changes and a consequent 

 uncertainty as to the part Argentine beef might play, a pro- 

 longed and disastrous drouth, and the prevalence of hog chol- 

 era, all featured in the general result. Despite handicaps, the 

 year 1913 was generally favorable for farmers and feeders. 



