METEOROLOGY. 117 



from the two very different stiitious iucluded iu these studies seems to suggest 

 that this feature may be general for a considerable range of conditions, at least 

 for the plant form here considered. With the given soil and soil moisture con- 

 tent the intensities of evaporation experienced by these soy-bean plants were 

 apparently not sufficiently high seriously to overtax the process of water ab- 

 sorption or that of water conduction." It therefore appears that the seasonal 

 changes iu temperature were '' much more important in the control of growth 

 than were the changes in any other measured condition or conditional com- 

 plex." 



Iu general the rates of growth at Oakland were found to he from about 10 

 to about 20 per cent or more lower than the corresponding rates at Easton. 

 " The early occurrence of frost at Oakland brought the season to a close 

 earlier than was the case at Easton, and the last growth rate for the latter 

 station is shown as markedly lower than any encountered at Oakland. The 

 principle here brought out is worthy of considerable emphasis. For a short 

 frostless season, characterized by a great daily range of temperature, the lowest 

 growth rate may be generally expected to be higher in value than the lowest 

 rate for a longer frostless season, with more equable temperatures." 



A correlation of weather conditions and production of cotton in Texas, 

 J. B. KiNCER (Jio. Weather Rev., 43 {1915), No. 2, pp. 61-65, figs. 9}.— In this 

 article an attempt is made to correlate the actual departures from mean tem- 

 perature and precipitation with the departures from the average yield of cotton 

 during the i:)eriod from 1S94 to 1913, inclusive. 



The results show a correlation coefficient of +0.88 and a probable error of 

 ±0.03. The method, however, was found to be inapplicable where the summer 

 rainfall frequently occurs in excessive amounts. In such cases it is necessary 

 to take account of the rainfall actually absorbed by the soil and that which is 

 removed in the run-off. 



Temperature and spring wheat in the Dakotas, T. A. Blaie {Mo. Weather 

 Rev., JfS {1915), No. 1, pp. 24-26, figs. 2). — Continuing studies reported in a 

 previous article (E. S. It., 30, p. 418), the author is led to modify the conclu- 

 sions from his earlier study to the extent of stating that the mean temperature 

 of June is as important a factor as the total precipitation of May and June in 

 determining the yield of v.heat in the Dakotas. 



The distribution of the rainfall in the eastern United States, B. C. Wallis 

 {Mo. Weather Rev., 43 {1915), No. 1, pp. 14-24, figs. iS).— From studies similar 

 to those already noted (E. S. E., 32, p. 119) the author draws the following 

 general conclusions: "The rainfall intensity as well as the actual amount of 

 precipitation of the eastern United States depends upon three sparate factors — 

 (1) the ' swing of the sun,' which has its most marked effect at places farthest 

 from the sea; (2) the local variations in temperature, which give rise to 

 abnormal temperature conditions, which have their most marked effect in caus- 

 ing variations in the mojiths of maximum and minimum intensity of rainfall; 

 (3) the proximity of the ocean, which causes heavy total precipitation near 

 the coast and masks to some degree the effect of insolation." 



The eastern United States is divided into three rainfall belts paralleling 

 the Atlantic coast : (1) The interior or continental belt, characterized by summer 

 rains and winter dryness; (2) a belt of rainfall at all seasons, due to the 

 middle position of the area between the continental conditions of belt 1 and the 

 oceanic conditions of belt 3; and (3) a belt of masked summer rains. 



Monthly Weather Review {Mo. Weather Rev., 43 {1915), Nos. 1, pp. 56, 

 pis. 24, figs. 39; 2, pp. 57-59+X, pis. 8, figs. 12).— In addition to notes on 

 weather forecasts for January and February, 1915, river and flood observations, 

 lists of additions to the Weather Bureau library and of recent papers on 



