420 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



These observations show that "the meau annual temperature for the island 

 of Porto Rico as a whole is 76.3°, a comfortable and healthful temperature 

 when accompanied, as it usually is in Porto Rico, by the fresh winds of the 

 northeast trades, and a relatively high percentage of overcast skies. The 

 stations on the coastal plain have a somewhat higher mean temperature, about 

 78° along the north, west, and south coasts, and about 79° along the east coast. 

 At inland stations the mean temi^erature is below 76°, varying from 76 to 72°, 

 according to elevation above sea level and other local conditions. The lowest 

 temperatures are found, as usual, at the higher elevations, at stations from 

 2,000 to 2,500 ft. above sea level on the main divide, a range of mountains 

 crossing Porto Rico from east to west a little south of the center of the island. 



" The average annual temperature of the island has varied but little from the 

 normal during the past 12 years. In 1901, the warmest year of the period, the 

 average was 1.3° above the normal, and in 1907, the coolest year, 0.9° below. 

 The average temperature was above normal for the island as a whole from 1900 

 to 1903, inclusive, and normal or below from 1904 to 1910, inclusive. During 

 the year 1910 the temperature continued below normal from January to Novem- 

 ber, inclusive." 



January is as a rule the coldest month, with a general average of 73° ; 

 August the warmest, with an average of 79°. During the winter months the 

 mean daily temperature varies from 75 to 76° along the immediate coast, 

 decreasing to 74° over most of the coastal plain and ranging from 72 to 68° at 

 inland stations, depending upon the elevation. During summer and early fall 

 the mean temperature along the coast is SO to 81°, rising frequently to 82 to 

 83° along the east coast. At inland stations the mean summer temperature 

 varies from 74 to 76°. There is a fairly constant difference of 6 to 8° between 

 coastal and inland stations throughout the year. 



There is a comparatively large diurnal variation in temperature. "At sta- 

 tions on the immediate coast, like San Juan, or on the smaller islands, like 

 Culebra and Vieques, the diurnal range is influenced by surrounding ocean 

 temperatures and is quite small, from 10 to 11°. At all inland stations, and 

 practically all the towns of Porto Rico are 2 or more miles from the coast, 

 the mean daily range is from 20 to 25°, according to local topography." 



Meteorology [New Zeal. Off. Yearbook 1910, i)p. 403-UO)-— Tables sum- 

 marize the results of observations on temperature, rainfall, atmospheric pres- 

 sure, and wind at 16 stations throughout New Zealand during the year 1909, as 

 well as compare the shade temperature for each month in New Zealand with 

 that of other British states and colonies. 



Straw as protection against frost, A. G. McAdie {Mo. Weather Rev., 39 

 (1911), No. 2, pp. 276-278, figs. 3).— The action of straw in preventing the 

 formation of frost near the surface of the ground is explained, and the need of 

 investigation on this subject is pointed out. 



The drought of 1910 in the principal spring-wheat growing States, P. C. 

 Day (Mo. Weather Rev., 39 (1911), No. 1, pp. U2, 143, figs. 2).— This article 

 describes the drought of 1910, which was particularly severe during the crop 

 season in the great spring-wheat region of North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, 

 Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana, and adjoining portions of the Cana- 

 dian northwest. 



It is stated that "over much of this region the precipitation did not equal 

 50 per cent of the usual annual fall, and the deficiency during the period of 

 spring-wheat growth was even greater in proportion." An examination, how- 

 ever, of charts prepared from the available rainfall data " shows that the area 

 of greatest deficiency in precipitation does not coincide identically with the area 

 of greatest loss to crops. In central and ©astern Minnesota, where the rainfall 



