210 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



and more precise indications in regard to the life of the plants. It is 

 considered preferable to take the temperature of the soil, which shows 

 the intensity and the variation of the solar radiation, as well as indi- 

 cates tlie quantity of heat received during the day and the amount lost 

 by radiation. 



RAINFALL 



The monthly rainfall collected by the two pluviometers for 189G was 

 as follows : 



Rainfall during 1S9G, by months. 



Month. 



January . 

 February 

 March ... 



April 



May 



June 



July 



Month. 



Rainfall. 



August 



September. 

 October — 



Novemher . 

 December . 



Total 



Mm. 

 36.8 

 140.6 

 154.0 

 50.1 

 77.7 



667.0 



In 1893 the precipitation was 526 mm.; in 1894, 503.4 mm.; in 1895, 

 493 mm. In 189G the first part of the year was dry, followed in the 

 summer and autumn by cyclones, storms, and waterspouts, which are 



Fig. 8— Annual rainfall at Paris since 1689. 



very unusual in France. The rainfall in September was 140.6 mm.; in 

 October, 154.1 mm., an amount not exceeded since 1689, when the first 

 observations were recorded. On account of the continued rains, which 

 were remarkable for the region, the author conceived the idea of com- 

 paring the results of all the observations made at Paris since the foun- 

 dation of the observatory. The first pluviometer was installed on the 

 terrace of the observatory in Paris in 1688, and regular measurements 

 of the rainfall were made from January, 1689, to December 31, 1754, 



