Tkansactiuns. 45 



I'Ol inches. Tlie total rainfall for the year was 42 '92 inelies. This is 

 considerably in excess of that of the previous year, which ^\as only 

 35-72 inches. In 1889 it was 35-17 inches; in 1S88, 35-91 inches; 

 in 1887, 30-99 inches; and in 1886, 41-13 inches; so that last 

 year's rainfall is the heaviest recorded at Dumfries since observa- 

 tions began to be taken, although the number of days on which it 

 fell was les3 than in 1886, which had 224 days, and in 1889, 

 which had 208 days. This rainfall was very unequally distributed 

 over the year. As previously observed, the first seven months — 

 January to July— were unusually dry, the rainfall of each of them 

 being considerably under average, and the amount for the period 

 only 14-12 inches, as compared with an average of about 22 

 inches. The consequence was that before the end of July there 

 was a scarcity of water in many places. The deficiency, howevei", 

 was more than made np in the succeeding five months, which 

 yielded a total of upwards of 28 inches. The month in which the 

 heaviest rainfall occurred was October, with a record of 8- 37 

 inches, equivalent to 837 tons of water per acre, spread over 21 

 days ; but August was very little short of it, with 25 rainy days and 

 7-17 inches. The rainfall of September was not so much beyond 

 the normal in quantity, but being spread over 21 days, it inter- 

 fered to a very serious extent with harvest work, and along with 

 the continuance of extremely wet weather during the gi'eater port 

 of October, prevented the corn crops from being cut, and, after 

 they were cut, from being gathered in until after much damage 

 had been done. It need hardly be said that during the latter 

 months of the year, particularly in August and October, the river 

 Nith was often in heavy flood. Repeatedly in these months the 

 depth at the guage on the New Bridge was from 7 to 9 feet, and I 

 noted at the time that on the afternoon of the 5th October it 

 reached 11 feet. But, while the rainfall was very unequally dis- 

 tributed over the year, it seems to have been hardly less unequally 

 distributed over the country. The reports shew that in the east 

 of Scotland the rainfall did not exceed the average, and in some 

 l^laces fell short of it. At Ardrossan, on the west coast, it is said 

 to have been 18 per cent, under average. But in the south-western 

 districts, as the reports which have been publi-shed shew, the 

 values are all in considerable excess of the normal. Thus Cargen 

 reports over 47 inches ; Drumpark, over 54 ; Dalbeattie, almost 

 52; Canonbie, 49; Moniaivc, 01. 



