16 Transactions. 
constantly in motion, and is characterised by waves of greater or 
less height. When an anti-cyclone, or period of high pressure, 
occurs the crest of the wave is passing over us, while in a cyclone 
we are under the trough of the wave. 
Temperature of the Year.—The highest temperature occurred 
on the 30th June and 2d July, when the maximum reading of 
the thermometer was 78 degrees ; the lowest on the 21st Decem- 
ber, when the minimum reading was 8 degrees, and the river 
Nith for the only time during the season was frozen over. Annual 
range, 70 degrees ; mean temperature of the year, 46-2 degrees ; 
mean at Cargen for last 26 years, 47°9 degrees. The mean 
temperature of August, October, and November was above the 
average, that of the other months was below it. During the 
year there were 112 days on which the minimum reading of the 
thermometer was at and below 32 degrees—27 in January (157 
degrees of frost); 18 in February (91 degrees); 16 in March 
(75 degrees); 4 in April (4 degrees) ; 3 in September (2°5 degrees), 
3 in October (2°5 degrees) ; 7 in November (8 degrees) ; and 27 
in December (196 degrees) —in all 536 degrees of frost. It will 
be observed from this statement that the autumn months were 
characterized by milder weather than usual, while January, 
February, and December, with the first half of March, were of a 
peculiarly wintry character, and marked by a temperature much 
below the average, though frequent fluctuations, both of pressure 
and temperature, made the weather as a rule exceedingly change- 
able. The spring and early summer were also colder than usual, 
a circumstance which threw the harvest into a late period of the 
year, when much rain fell, and caused great damage to cereal 
crops. 
Rainfall of the Year.—There was an extremely heavy fall 
between the 12th and 13th October, when the rain gauge regis- 
tered 0-91 in. for the 24 hours. We can better imagine how 
much this represents when we take into account the ascertained 
fact that the fall of an inch of rain in depth is equivalent to 
100 tons of water per acre. But the heaviest fall of the year 
occurred on the 5th September, on a Sabbath afternoon, when 
1-02 in. was recorded in the 24 hours. Unlike the former, which 
was a steady, continuous fall through the day and night, the 
greater part of this fell within the space of anhour. The previous 
day (Saturday) was oppressively warm, with a maximum temper- 
ature of 77 degrees, and the atmosphere strongly charged with 
