Climate of Middle Illinois. 



15 



WINTEE. 



Table 3. 



The three winter months together had the lowest mean 20.7 in the 

 winters from 1872 to 1873 and 1874 to 1875. 



Above freezing point was the mean of the winters 1862—63, 1875—76, 

 1877—78, and 1879—80; in all the rest it was below freezing point. 



The coldest January was that of 1857, 13.5; the coldest February 

 1875, 15.5; the coldest December 1876, 18.5. 



The warmest January was in 1880, 40.9; the warmest February 

 1878, 37.5; the warmest December 1877, 44.3. 



The coldest decade in January was 1864 1st and 10th, 0.2; in Febru- 

 ary, 1875, 10th to 20th, 8, and in December, 1872, 21st to 31st, 8.8. 



The warmest decade in January was in 1864, 21st to 31st, 41.8; in 

 February, 1871, 21st to 28th, 41.2; in December, 1862, 21st to 21st, 41.7. 



When we call the three months December, January and February 

 the three winter months, it is obvious that this is mere theory. Practi- 

 cally winter is not restricted to those three months; there are no general 

 limits which are good for every year. When we take freezing as a dis- 



