METEOROLOGY WATER. 615 



A new distilling' apparatus with air cooler for "nitrogen determinations, 

 J. Schmidt (dstcrr. Chcm. Ztg., 10 {1901), No. 19, pp. 266, 267, flys. 2; Ztschr. 

 Angeu: Chcm., 20 {1901), No. 7/7, pp. 2021, 2028, figs. 2).— The constr action of 

 the apparatus is briefly descril)ed. 



METEOROLOGY— WATER. 



Report of the Chief of the Weather Bureau, 1905-6 (U. 8. Dept. Agr., 

 Weather Bur. Rpt. 1905-6, pp. XX+J/Od). — As usual, part 1 of this doeuuient 

 consists of an administrative report reviewing the operations of the Weather 

 Bureau during the year and including statements regarding additions to 

 equipment and extension of the work ; part 2 gives a list of observing stations 

 and changes therein during 1905, and twice-daily observations for 29 selected 

 stations during 1905; part ?>, monthly and annual meteorological summaries for 

 201 stations: part 4, monthly and annual means and extremes of temperature 

 and dates of first and last killing frosts, 3905; part 5, monthly and annual pre- 

 cipitation, 1905, and monthly and seasonal snowfall, 1905-6; and part G, mis- 

 cellaneous meteorological tables and reports. 



Among the subjects to which special attention is called are the enlargement 

 of the field of observation by cooperation with the weather services of other 

 countries and especially by the organization of a system of observations from 

 vessels at sea ; the extension of the storm-warning service to include all wire- 

 less telegraph stations of the Navy Department along the coasts of the Atlantic 

 and Pacific oceans and the Gulf of Mexico ; the increase in the number of mete- 

 orological stations in the United States, now including 187 first-order stations 

 employing 518 persons, and in the distribution of forecasts and special warn- 

 ings, these forecasts and warnings being sent by telegraph to 2,150 persons in 

 the United States, with a daily issue of 1,625 weather maps from Washington 

 and 25,000 copies from the 105 stations outside of Washington ; the establish- 

 ment, in cooperation with the Forest Service, of stations for observation on 

 precipitation and temperature at high levels ; the development of the equip- 

 ment and work at the Mount Weather Research Observatory ; special observa- 

 tions on solar radiation in connection with the Astrophysical Observatory, 

 Smithsonian Institution ; extension of the teaching of meteorology ; and in- 

 vestigation of frost conditions in cranberry regions with a view to obtaining 

 more precise and detailed information concerning meteorological and soil con- 

 ditions in the cranberry marshes of Wisconsin preceding, accompanying, and 

 following frosts, for the purpose of establishing a scientific basis for more 

 accurate frost predictions for those sections of the country devoted to this 

 special industry. 



Meteorological observations, J. E. Ostrandeb and T. A. Barry {Massachu- 

 setts 81a. Met. Bills. 221, 22S, pp. // each). — Summaries of observations on pres- 

 sure, temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, sunshine, cloudiness, and 

 casual phenomena during November and December, 1907, are presented. The 

 general character of the weather of each month is briefly discussed, and the 

 December bulletin gives a summary for the year. The principal data in this 

 summary are as follows : 



Pressure, reduced to freezing and sea level (inches). — Maximum, 30.78, 

 February 24; minimum, 28.99, April 9; mean, 30.018. Air temperature, in 

 ground shelter (degrees F.). — Maximum, 96; August 12; minimum, — 23.5, Jan- 

 uary 24 ; mean, 45.2. Humidity. — Mean dew-point, 36.9 ; mean relative humidity, 

 77.9. Precipitation. — Total rainfall or melted snow, 42.27 in.; number of days 

 on which 0.01 in. or more rain or melted snow fell, 122; total snowfall, 54.5 in. 



