THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 255 



Owing to the cold and wet weather, vegetation is very backward, 

 having scarcely moved since the first of Januar^^ On the 15th of 

 February, 1852, I found sixteen species of plants in bloom on the hills 

 west of the city ; and on the 22d I gathered forty-three species on a 

 walk to the fort at the entrance of the bay. Last year, also, the coun- 

 try was covered with flowers in February. But this spring scarcely a 

 flower has made its appearance. The spring of 1851 was equally 

 backward, on account both of cold and of drought. 



No. 8.— THE CLIMATE OF SAN FRANCISCO FOR THE YEAR 1854. 



The year began with very fine weather. On the fifth was a severe 

 norther, which damaged the shipping in the harbor. A few cold morn- 

 ings followed, and on the 12th the rains set in. From that date to the 

 24th, rain fell on nine days to the depth of four and a quarter inches. 

 The rains were cold and several times accompanied with hail, and 

 snow covered the distant mountains. The coldest weather on my 

 record was at this time. On the 19th, 20th, and 21st, the thermometer 

 stood at 31, 25, and 31. At noon on the 20th it rose no higher than 37. 

 The mud was frozen solid so as to bear the heaviest wagons. Of 

 course, the oldest inhabitant had never seen the like. In December, 

 1850, it was nearly as cold, the mercury then falling to 27. The 

 month wound up with a few very warm days. The mean temperature 

 at sunrise was 42.26, at 9 a. m. 45.71, at noon 54.23, at 10 p. m. 45.26, 

 being the coldest month on my book ; that is, since the winter of 1849- 

 '50. The greatest heat was 69, and the extreme of cold 25. The 

 prevailing winds were north, northeast, and northwest. 



It should be mentioned, as a rare phenomenon, that hail fell on the 

 morning of the 15th so as to cover the ground and to lay for an hour. 

 In the winter of 1849-'50 the ground was covered with hail or snow 

 in like manner. 



February was rather warm. The mean at sunrise was 47.93, at 9 

 A. M. 50.86, at noon 59.21, and at 10 p. m. 49.07. The extreme of 

 heat was 69, of cold 38. Rain fell on no less than thirteen days, and 

 in the quantity of 8.41 inches — the greatest quantity in any month on 

 my record, excepting December, 1852, when there was nearly twelve 

 inches. This is the more remarkable as February is usually a dry 

 month. On the 12th, hail fell in a heavy shower so copiously that it 

 could be gathered by the bucketfuU where it collected from the roofs. 

 The prevaihng winds were from west, south, northwest, and north, in 

 the order named as to frequency. Our high wind occurred from south- 

 southeast. 



March was of moderate temperature. The mean at sunrise was 

 47.23, at 9 a. m. 52.06, at noon 60.97, at 10 p. m. 49.45. The extreme 

 of heat was 72, of cold 38. Rain fell on ten days 3.17 inches — a 

 moderate supply for March. Most of the rain was during a cold storm 

 on the 13th, 14th, and 15th, the wind blowing moderate!}^ part of the 

 time from northeast, which is a rare direction for a rain wind. The 

 westerly winds increased in frequency, as usual in this month. Those 



