EXPEKIMENT STATION RECORD. 319 



METEOROLOGY. 



The org-anization of the Meteorological OflBce in London with special 

 reference to agricultural meteorology, W. N. Shaw (Ann. Rpt. Met. Com. 

 IGt. Brit.], 10 {1915), pp. Go-lJ, ; abs. in Jnternat. In^t. Agr. [Rome], Mo. Bui. 

 Agr. Intel, and Plant Diseases, 6 (1915), No. 6, pp. 789, 790).— The scope of the 

 work of the British Meteorological Office is briefly outlined, and it is explained 

 that the office collects and digests meteorological information which the agri- 

 culturist can apply if he wishes. To this end it issues a daily weather report 

 and provides for the telegraphing of forecasts to those who are willing to pay 

 for the telegrams. These forecasts are prepared throughout the year, thrice 

 daily during the harvest season (June to September) and twice daily through- 

 out the remainder of the year. Weekly and monthly weather reports are also 

 issued. In actual practice these sources of information are very little used by 

 the farmers. At present the formal responsibility of the office is limited to pre- 

 paring forecasts and compiling statistics which will be indispensable when 

 further investigation has so far developed the laws of weather as to allow of 

 forecasting coming seasons. 



By watching the trend of inquiry about the weather upon the part of the 

 general public the office hopes to approach the subject of agricultural meteor- 

 ology on lines suggested by the agriculturists themselves. It is held that " the 

 further development of the application of meteorology to agriculture is largely 

 dependent upon education in the rural schools," where the study of weather 

 is now becoming a part of the regular course of instruction. 



The practical value of long-period rainfall observations, J. B. Bennett 

 (Jour. Scot. Met. Soc, S. ser., 16 (1914), No. SI, pp. 320-328).— This article 

 emphasizes the importance of long-period rainfall observations, particularly 

 from the standpoint of the engineer. 



Precipitation and yield of crops, E. Krugeb (Deut. Landw. Presse, 42 

 (1915), No. 47, pp. 420, 421, figs. 4). — An attempt is made in this article to 

 correlate summer and winter rainfall with the yields of summer and winter 

 wheat, rye, oats, barley, beets, and potatoes. No clear relation is shown be- 

 tween the winter rainfall and the yields of any of the crops, but the yields were 

 clearly influenced by the amount and distribution of the summer rainfall. 



The relation of rainfall to the depth of water in a well, J. Smith (Jour. 

 Scot. Met. Soc, 3. ser., 16 (1914), No. SI, pp. 329-335, figs. 2).— The annual 

 fluctuation of water level in a well is correlated with the rainfall, showing a 

 fairly constant fall from spring maximum to autumn minimum. "A minimum 

 toward the end of the year may be looked for without fail, though in a prolonged 

 drought it may not occur until early in the following year. There is never any 

 serious check in the autumn rise of the water level, and once this rise sets in 

 quite moderate rainfalls are sufficient to insure a steady recovery from the 

 minimum." 



Approximate correlation of the influence of climate on the degree and 

 increase of temperature with the depth in the soil, J. Boussinesq (Compt. Rend. 

 Acad. Sci. [Paris], 160 (1915), No. 24, pp. 747-750; abs. in Rev. Sci. [Paris], 53 

 (1915), I-II, No. IS, p. 285).— The conclusion is reached that variations in 

 climate exert very little influence on the rapidity of the rate of increase of the 

 temperature of the earth with the distance from the surface. 



The theory and practice of frost fighting, A. McAdie (Sci. Mo., 1 (1915), 

 No. S, pp. 292-301, figs. 9).— This article explains the processes which facilitate 

 the lowering of the temperature close to the ground, and discusses the efficiency 

 of the various methods which have been used to interfere with or prevent these 

 processes. 



