METEOROLOGY — WATER. 525 



millet, wheat bran, brewers' grains, castor beau, sunflower seed, wild pliuns, 

 and sujiar beets, and of stomachs for suspected poisoning. 



The text of the laws (Maine 8ta. Off. Inspcc. 12, pp. 73-92)— This publica- 

 tion contains the text of the State laws concerning the sale of agricultural seeds, 

 the grading, paclving and l)randing of apples, the testing of creamery glassware, 

 and the inspection of feeding stuffs, fertilizers, foods and drugs, with the income 

 for iusijection work. 



METEOROLOGY— WATER. 



Report on the temperatures and vapor tensions of the United States, F. H. 

 BiGELow {U. 8. Dcpt. Ayr., Weather Bur. Bui. 8, pp. 302, charts 4)-— In this 

 report the temperatures and vapor tensions are reduced to a homogeneous sys- 

 tem of 24 hourly observations for the interval 1873-1905. In his letter of trans- 

 mittal the Chief of the Weather Bureau states that " these data, and the nor- 

 mals that have been deduced from them, will form the fundamental basis for 

 future studies on climatology and for the investigation of the relations between 

 plant life and the thermal and hygrometric conditions that prevail in nature. 

 The data have also been so reflned in their reductions and corrections as to 

 be of use in the tracing of variations between the sun's activity and the tem- 

 peratures of the earth." 



A manual for observers in climatology and evaporation, P. H. Bigelow 

 (['. 8. Dept. Agr., Weather Bur. Doc. J,OD, pp. 106, pl»<. J).— It is stated that 

 " this work is the result of experience with regard to the observations in the 

 West inaugurated for the development of the water resources branch of the 

 Weather Bureau, and it is adapted to observers of the cooperative bureaus. 

 The remarks on climatology are such as will enable observers to classify the 

 problem of snow and rainfall in the Sierras and Rocky Mountains according to 

 the requirements of engineers. The part of the manual relating to evaporation 

 contains an account of the formula now under trial, the methods of observation, 

 and the tables necessary for executing the computations." 



Bulletin of the Mount Weather Observatory {V. 8. Dept. Agr., Bui. Mount 

 Weather Ohserv., 2 (1909), pt. 2, pp. 53-lOS, pi. 1, figs. 6, charts 6).— This num- 

 ber contains the following articles : Pyrheliometer and Polarimeter Observa- 

 tions (illus.), by H. H. Kimball; Distribution of Gases in the Atmosphere 

 (illus.), by W. J. Humphreys; Note on the Temperature of the Isothermal 

 Region, by W^ J. Humphreys; Storm Depth, Rate of Movement, and Intensity, 

 by W. R. Blair; Stationary Clouds to the Leeward of Hill and Mountain Ranges 

 (illus.), by W. R. Blair and L. C. Ross; and Upper Air Temperatures for 

 October, November, and December (illus.), by W. R. Blair. 



A summary of meteorological observations, J. E. Ostrander (Massachusetts 

 8ta. Bui. 130, pp. 3-27). — This bulletin gives tabular summaries of observations 

 on pressure, temperature, dew-point, relative humidity, sunshine and cloudiness, 

 precipitation, wind movement, snow, frost, and general weather conditions made 

 at the Massachusetts Station during the 20-year period 1889 to 1908. "It in- 

 cludes also records of such available and at the same time apparently reliable 

 precipitation and temperature records as were made in Amherst previous to 

 3889." 



The mean annual baronielric pressure during the i)eriod was .30.009 in.; the 

 maximum, 30.65 in., February 2G, 1889; the minimum, 28.24 in., February 8, 

 1895. The mean annual temi)erature was 40.8° F. ; the highest, 100.5°, July 2, 

 1901; the lowest, — 20°, January 5, 1904. The mean dew-i>oint was 39.1, the 

 mean relative humidity 74.1. The mean annual precipitation was 44.84 iu. ; the 

 greatest (1897), 57.05 in.; the least (1908), 30.68 in. The mean annual wind 



