194 
small portion of its surface, and of what occurs in the remainder we are in ignor- 
ance. It is quite possible that year by year there falls the same quantity of rain, 
but that it is precipitated unequally, and that while some portions of the earth’s 
surface suffer from a plethora of rain other portions suffer from drought. 
On reference to table B. it will be seen that nineteen stations have recorded 
the depth of rain that fell throughout the year. The maximum fall was at Long- 
town, where the large quantity of 52°86 inches were registered. Last year the 
same station obtained a like pluvial pre-eminence, and, looking to the locality, it 
is quite probable that in future years it will equally head the list. The minimum 
fall appears to have been at Brockhampton, near Bromyard ; at which station was 
recorded 31°37 inches, or 21°49 inches less than at Longtown. That so small a 
quantity should have fallen at Brockhampton is to me unaccountable. It is 
situated 110 feet higher than Bromyard, and therefore should register 4 per cent. 
more ; it is near to the summit of Bromyard Downs, and yet, notwithstanding, 
the depth has been less by 6°33 inches than what was recorded at Bromyard. 
The mean rainfall of all the stations for the year was 38°72; of all the 
stations for 1874 the mean was 26°57 ; and of 1873 it was 26°16 inches. The wet- 
test year for 40 years in the county of Hereford was 1872, when the total was 
42°25, so that the year 1875 was only 3°53 inches less than 1872. Mr. Isbell cal- 
culates 30 inches and two or three tenths to be the real mean for Herefordshire, 
and Mr. Symons calculates 34°92 as the average of England from 1850 to 1865. 
THE NUMBER OF RAINY DAYS IN THE YEAR. 
In Table B is given the number of days on which ‘01 or more fell in the 
year at eighteen of the nineteen stations. In order to simplify the subject it will 
be as well to tabulate the stations according to the number of rainy days; the 
maximum heading the list. 1 Hereford ; 2 Bromyard; 3 Whitfield; 4 Much 
Marcle; 5 Malvern West; 6 Staunton-on-Wye; 7 Ross, Graig; 8 Wigmore; 9 
Bryngwyn; 10 Fownhope; 11 Stoke Bliss; 12 Rocklands ; 13 Hampton Court ; 
14 Longtown ; 15 Lynhales ; 16 Stretton Sugwas ; 17 Ledbury ; 18 Brockhampton. 
It is somewhat singular that Hereford, which ranks sixteenth according to 
the depth of rain, should enjoy the somewhat unenviable priority of having mere 
rainy days than any other place in the county, and that this should be the third 
year in succession in which it has headed the list. It is also somewhat singular 
that Longtown and Lynhales which stand first and second, according to the depth 
of rain, should have had a like number of rainy days in the year, and should stand 
so low down as 15 out of the 18 stations. The same noticeable contrast between 
Brockhampton and Bromyard, remarked upon in the depth of rain, obtains here 
also. Bromyard stands second on the list with 192 days, whilst Brockhampton 
stands last on the list with a minimum of 146 days. The mean of all the stations 
will be found to be 174 rainy days in the year; of 1874 it was 158, and of 1873 it 
was 161 rainy days. 
In taking a retrospect of the year that is past the unthinking observer 
might be inclined to reflect only on the excess of rain that had fallen, and on the 
a 
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