INTRODUCTION 



The Meteorological Tables here presented, form one set of a number of daily 

 records, published by the Smithsonian Institution, to exhibit the simultaneous con- 

 dition of the weather in different parts of the Continent of North America, during 

 a series of years. This set is from the records of Dr. N. D. Smith, of Arkansas, 

 and may be relied on for regularity, and for as much accuracy as the means at the 

 command of the observer would allow him to attain. 



The following remarks relative to the instruments and the character of the 

 country, are from the pen of the observer: — 



"Agreeable to your request, I herewith transmit to you a copy of my Record of 

 the Weather, for the past twenty years. It has been kept, intermingled with my 

 diary of events and business, for the satisfaction of myself and family, without the 

 expectation of its being appreciated beyond my household circle. But, since you 

 deem it worthy of acceptance, it is freely presented to the Smithsonian Institution. 

 "My thermometer has hung all the time in the same place, in the open air, in the 

 window-frame, outside of the sash, on the north side of the house, eight feet above 

 the ground, and protected from any injurious reflection. My rain-gauge is a deep 

 tin cup, set on the ground, in an exposed spot in the garden, and the rain measured 

 after every fall, by a rule graduated to tenths of an inch. 



"My residence, where the observations were made, is on the summit of the 

 dividing ridge between the waters of the Red River and those of the Washita, 

 fifteen miles northeast of Fulton, and twenty south of the Little Missouri. From 

 this ridge there is no higher level for a long distance; but to the northwest, there 

 is a gradual ascent for about fifty miles to the foot of the mountains. 



" It will be seen by the tables that we have sufficient alternations of heat and cold, 

 rain and sunshine, to diversify our weather. A very large proportion of our rains 

 fall in the nioht-time, and are generally accompanied with thunder. During the 

 summer, we "seldom have any but local showers, and these, though sometimes 

 heavy, are of limited extent. Thus, some localities may be deluged with rain, 

 while others, within a few miles, are at the same time parched with drought. 



"Hempstead County is bounded on the south by Red River, which winds in a ser- 

 pentine course through a valley of from eight to twelve miles in width, much the 

 largest portion of which consists of level prairies, slightly elevated above the 

 surrounding timbered land, and was originally clothed with a tall, fine grass. 

 The soil beneath the dark brown surface mould, is a dark red clay, twenty to 

 thirty feet deep, through which wells have been ^nik, into a quicksand filled with 

 water The surrounding timber is of gigantic size, consisting of black walnut, 



