326 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



sun and wind in melting snow are briefly explained, observations on these subjects 

 being summarized as follows: 



"(1) The mountain streams in the early irrigation season are largely supplied by 

 melting snow. 



"(2) There is a marked diurnal fluctuation, greater with high water than with 

 .low, due to the daily variations in the rate of melting. 



"(3) The stream at high water may be one-half greater than at low water on the 

 same day. 



"(4) Cloudy weather in the mountains, protecting the snow from the radiation of 

 the sun, causes the fluctuation to disappear and the flow to decrease. 



"(5) This decrease is so great that the cloudiness associated with continued rain 

 usually more than counterbalances the gain from the rain. 



"(6) The loss of snow by evaporation is consideral)le, especially when exposed to 

 winds. 



"(7) Snow remains in the timber and in protected spots much longer than where 

 exposed. 



"(8) This is due not so much t(^ drifting as to shelter from the radiation afforded 

 by the forest cover. 



"(9) Hence, the greater amount of forest cover the less violent the daily fluctua- 

 tion, the more uniform the flow throughout the day and throughout the season, and 

 the later the stream maintains its flow. 



"(10) The loss of the forest cover means more violent fluctuation during the day, 

 greater difficulty in regulating the headgates and keeping a uniform flow in ditches, 

 and hence an additional difticulty in the economic distribution of water. Also the 

 water runs off sooner, hence the stream drops earlier in the summer, and on account 

 of the lessening of the springs, the smaller is the winter flow. 



"(11) The preservation of the forest is an absolute necessity for the interest of 

 irrigated agriculture." 



Meteorological observations, J. E. Ostraxder andC. L. Rice {Massachusetts Sta. 

 Met. Bids. 14s, 149, 150, jip. 4 each). — Summaries of observations on pressure, tem- 

 perature, humidity, precipitation, wind, sunshine, cloudiness, and casual phenomena 

 during April, ^Nlay, and June. The data are briefly discussed in general notes on the 

 weather of each month. 



Report of department of meteorology and meteorological summary, C. H. 

 Pettee {Xeir Hampshire Sta. BuL 79, pp. 33, 34, 38). — A brief report is given of the 

 operations of this department of the station during the year, accompanied by a 

 monthly and an annual summary of observations on temperature, precipitation, snow- 

 fall, cloudiness, and direction of wind during the flscal year ended June 30, 1900, with 

 averages for each month from July 1, 1895, to June 30, 1900, inclusive. The annual 

 summary of these observations is as follows: Temperature (degrees F.) — 1899-1900, 

 45.5; 189.5-1900, 45.7; precipitation (in.)— 1899-1900, 43.59; 1895-1900, 45.5; snow- 

 fall (in.)— 1899-1900, 50.5; 1895-1900, 62.1; number of days on which there was 0.01 

 in. precipitation— 1899-1900, 77; 1895-1900, 98; prevailing direction of wind— 1899- 

 1900, northwest; clear di^ys — 1899-1900, 181. The principal meteorological charac- 

 teristics of the year were lack of moisture during the growing season and an abnor- 

 mally light snowfall. The precipitation was normal, but one-third of it was concen- 

 trated in 30 consecutive days, covering most of February and a part of March. 



Summaries of temperature, rainfall, and sunshine, E. F. L.\dd {North Dakota 

 Sta. Rpt. 1900, }>p. 14-19). — Table.s give the maxima, minima, and mean monthly 

 temperatures at Fargo, N. Dak., for the year 1900; a monthly record of sunshine 

 during 1899 and 1900; total annual rainfall for the period 1892-1900; calculated and 

 recorded daily temperatures during April-September, 1900; and mean hourly tem- 

 ])eratares April-September, 1899. 



Report of rainfall and temperatures for the year 1900 {Ontario Agr. Col. and 



