METEOROLOGY WATEB. 219 



The scope and arrangement of the book is indicated by the following list of 

 chapter titles: The atmospheres of the earth and of the planets: atmospheric 

 air: micro-organisms and dust motes of the air; physical conditions of the smi 

 and its relation to the earth's atmosphere; heat, light, and temperature: 

 thermometry; distribution of isolation and the resulting temijeratures of the 

 atmosphere, the land, and the water: the isothermal layer: atmospheric pres- 

 sure and circulation ; the winds of the globe ; the clouds : precipitation : fore- 

 casting the weather and storms : optical phenomena in meterorology : and 

 climate. 



A selected list of general works on meteorology as well as special biblio- 

 graphies of the subjects treated in each chapter are given. 



Studies on the general circulation of the earth's atmosphere. F. H. Bigelow 

 iAdici: Jour. Sci.. -}. scr.. 29 ilOlO). Xo. iTi, pp. 21:7-202. rigs. 6). — This is a 

 discussion of the departures and the residuals of the temperature and precipita- 

 tion in climatology. 



The influence of forests on climate, floods and erosion. G. F. Swain (Engin. 

 Xcics, 63 (1910), Xo. 15. pp. -}27-429). — In this article the author takes issue 

 with the conclusions of the Chief of the Weather Bureau of this Department 

 previously noted ( E. S. K.. 22. p. .516). 



Checking floods in the French Alps. B. Moobe (Amer. Forestry. 16 {1910). 

 Xo. }. pp. 199-201. figs. H). — A short historical account of the damage caused by 

 floods in the French Alps and of measures which have been undertaken to pre- 

 vent future flood damage. 



Meteorological observations {Maine Sta. Bui. 17-5, pp. 329^31). — The usual 

 summaries of observations on temperature, precipitation, cloudiness, and wind 

 movement at Orono, Ale., and on precipitation at various places in the State 

 during ItXiO are given. The mean temperature was 4.3.SS° F.. the mean for 41 

 years being 42.32°. The total precipitation was 46.9S in., the mean for 41 years 

 being 43.7 in. The snowfall was 97.7.J in., the average for 41 years being 91.74 

 in. The number of cloudy days was IM. 



Agricultural-meteorological observations on the Poltava Experiment 

 Field, 1886-1900. V. A. \ jasov (In Itoghi Rabot PoUavsKagho Opuitnagho 

 Polya CO Dvudlzat Lyet. 1SS6-1905. PoJtava, 1908. vol. 1. pp. i-f.?; App.. pp. 

 l-3i2, figs. 8). — This is a report on observations on the relation of meteorological 

 conditions (precipitation and temjierature) to the growth of cereals under semi- 

 arid conditions. 



The average annual rainfall of the region in which the Poltava Station is 

 located is 465 mm., varying from 337 to 62S mm. The average distribution of 

 the rainfall by months is as follows: January 17.S. February 20.9. March 29.S. 

 April 29.3. May 39.1. June 79.7, July 5.S..5. August 52.1. September .35.S. October 

 45.4, November 24.8, and December 31.9 mm. The mean temperature of the 

 period of growth of the oats and spring wheat experimented with was 17.3° C, 

 varying from 36.1 to 19.3° C. The spring period, more particularly the period 

 from the sowing of simnner cereals to the time of heading, appeared to be the 

 critical stage for these plants, the growth of the crop being deiiendent to a 

 large extent upon the precipitation occurring during this period, although in- 

 fluenced to a considerable extent by the amount of moisture stored in the soil 

 during the previous fall and winter. No direct dependence of yields on the 

 sums of temperature or on the mean temperature of the period was observed. 

 There was. however, a direct relation between the yield and the ratio of the 

 temi^erature to the precipitation. The yield of oats was found to be directly 

 dependent ui>on the precipitation from August of the preceding year to the time 

 of heading, on the mean temperature of the air and the intensity and duration 

 of solar radiation in the period from flowering to ripening, and on the amoimt 



