974 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



of rain to fally insure the growth of the ear. (3) For hot weather 

 crops of millets, etc., rather heavy rain at first and occasional rains 

 afterwards are best suited. Breaks of three or four weeks, especially if 

 accompanied by dry, hot winds, are very injurious, and if protracted^ 

 fatal. 



In north India famine is due either to the failure of two crops in suc- 

 cession, for example, the rain crops (millets and rice), and the cold 

 weather crop, or to the complete failure of one crop after a series of 

 poor seasons. 



In the Deccan they are usually due to a more or less complete failure 

 of a southwest monsoon rain throughout, following one or more bad 

 seasons. 



In the rice-growing districts the cause is usually an abnormally early 

 end of the southwest monsoon rains. — H. A. hazen. 



Meteorologic work in Australia, C. Todd {Adelaide: pp. 25, pi. 1). — 

 This important paper describes in detail methods and results of mete- 

 orological inquiry in Australia. There are given in 7 charts types of 

 weather selected from a larger number, and it is stated that these charts 

 have been sufiBcieutly studied to show what resulting weather is likely 

 to follow, as determined from previous experience. These charts are 

 distributed to all the stations. After the telegrams have all been 

 received on any day and the new chart constructed, the proper type 

 weather map can easily be found which corresponds with this new chart. 

 The only expense then consists in telegraphing to each station the 

 number of the chart which should be displayed for that type. 



There is a ridge of high pressure which passes over the extra-trop- 

 ical or temperate parts of Australia. This is made up of long loops or 

 "highs," being broken up at times by the advance of "lows" from the 

 tropics and northerly extensions of V-shaped low areas from the south. 

 The position of this ridge in winter is 29 or 30° south latitude. North 

 of this ridge are the dry southeast trades, while to the south there is 

 a prevalence of dry northerly winds, varied by strong west and south- 

 west winds as coastal lows pass from west to east, with rain and squalls. 

 On the east coast winter winds are from the west. This wall or ridge 

 plays a very important part in Australian climate. If this lies well to 

 the south then south Australia is dry, while to the north there are fre- 

 quent rains. If the wall is in the north these conditions are reversed. 

 About 43 high areas pass during the year, with a velocity of about 17 

 miles per hour. The movement of low areas is much more marked 

 and regular, there being about 60 per year, with a velocity of 25 miles 

 per hour. 



Since the interior of Australia is under high pressure, with dry south- 

 east winds, it is often subject to severe droughts, more or less prolonged. 

 The driest portion is in a belt of country from Lake Eyre, or about 

 latitude 30°, to near the northwest coast, which is swept nearly all the 

 year by the southeast trade wind. The climate of the eastern half is 

 more favorable, owing to the more southerly sweep of the monsooR 



