1022 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



Report of the meteorologist, W. II. Bishop {Delaivare 8ta. Rpt. 1903, pp. 

 160-161!). — A siuiininry of the usual ohservations for the year li)02. 



Meteorological observations, J. E. Ostranoer and T. A. Barry (Mussiichu- 

 setts St a. Met. Bids. 210, 220, pp. 4 each). — Summaries of observations at Am- 

 herst, Mass., on pressure, temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, sunshine, 

 cloudiness, and casual plienomena during March and April, 1907. The data are 

 brietly discussed in general notes on the weather of each month. 



Summaries of temperature, rainfall, and sunshine, K. F. Ladd {North 

 Dakota tita. Rpt. 1006, pt. 1, pp. 17-27). — The temperature for each month of 

 1906, the rainfall for each month of that year and for each year since 1892, the 

 monthly sunshine for each month of 1906, the daily wind velocity for each 

 month, and the daily evaporation from the water surface for the months May 

 to September during 1906 and 4 preceding years are given in tables and briefly 

 discussed. The average temperature for 1906 was 47.3° F., being considerably 

 higher than that of the previous year. The total rainfall, 17.7 in., was much 

 lower than that of the preceding year, 30.76 in., and lower than the average 

 for the past 15 years, 21.36 in. The total sunshine i-ecorded for the year was 

 1,925.4 hours. " The total amount of water evaporated from a water surface 

 for the five months [May to September] was 22.36 in., a monthly average of 

 4.472 in., and a daily avei'age of 0.145 in. This is considerably less than for 

 the preceding years."' 



Semi-arid America; its climate compared with that of South Australia, 

 W. L. Summers {.four. Dept. Agr. ,S'o. Aiist., 10 (1007), No. 7. pp. .ill-4U).—Jn 

 view of the great interest which has been manifested in Australia in reports 

 of wheat growing in semi-arid districts of the United States, especially in the 

 Campl)ell system of di'y farming, the author undertakes a comparison of the 

 climatic conditions of South Australia and that part of the United States which 

 is defined as semi-arid. The main differences between the climatic conditions 

 of the semi-arid districts of the United States and the so-called dry districts 

 of South Australia are summarized as follows: 



" Sovtli Anstralia. — AYhere our average rainfall exceeds 15 in. the district 

 is regarded as a safe one for wheat and sheep, while our ' dry-wheat areas ' 

 would average, say, 10 to 15 in. The elevation above sea level of these dry 

 areas is from a few hundred to nearly 2,000 ft. The winter is somewhat cold, 

 often frosty, with lengthy intervals between appreciable falls of rain. The 

 spring is relatively dry, and hot, drying winds while the wheat is flowering 

 often cause serious loss. The average summer temperature is high, and fre- 

 quently the shade records reach 100° F. for a week at a time. The wheat is 

 sown at the beginning of winter, has to make its growth during relatively cold 

 weather, and matiu'e its grain in the hot, dry months of late spring and early 

 summer. 



"America. — The rainfall of the so-called semi-arid districts appears to be 

 from IS to 20 in. The altitude is from 1,000 to 8,000 ft. ; winter is cold, but 

 dry. The summer is wet and war' ., and extended periods without rain are 

 rare. The wheat is sown in spring and harvested within about 120 days, and 

 during the whole of the growing period relatively high temperatures rule, 

 though, as previously pointed out. extremely cold weather is frequently expe- 

 rienced. Evaporation is consequently considerably less than in South Australia, 

 and the freiiuency of the summer rains, even when limited, tends to replenish 

 the losses by evaporation. 



" It will therefore be seen that the contrast between the climatic conditions of 

 the two countries is very marked, and that results in the American States can 

 scarcely be compared with local results. Our experience with the so-called 

 drought-resistant wheats which have been introduced into these regions during 



