206 RETURNS OP RAINFALL, ETC., IN DORSET. 



February. A fall of l-15in. occurred at Hazklbury Bryan on 

 the 20th of this month. 



Prolonged Drought. This drought, which took place in March, 

 April, and May, had a most serious effect upon the grass and otlier 

 crops, making the produce very small. 



Ml'. Barnes (Parkstone) says " March ; only five days rain and 

 none after the 16th. April; very dry, no rain at all till the 23rd, 

 the absolute drought thus lasting 37 days. May ; no rainfall till 

 the 14th and only a little on that day and the 15th, a partial 

 drought having lasted 76 days, viz., from 1st March to 15th May, 

 during which only 0"60in. fell." 



Mr. Andrews (Swanage) says : From February 28th to June 

 23rd, or nearly four months, only 0-99in. fell ; there were two long 

 periods of total drought, viz., 37 days (March 17th to April 23rd), 

 and 35 days (May 19th to June 23rd). 



Rev. G. H. Billington (Chalbury) says : " In only two of the 

 last 28 years have we had less Rainfall, viz., in 1870, 23-85in. on 

 124 days, and in 1887, 22-46in. on 125 days," his total being 

 24-04in. in 138 days. 



At Wareham the fall (25-18in.) was the lowest for ten years 

 except that of 1887 (20-88in.). 



At Cheddington it was lower in 1892, 1889, and 1887. 



Mr. C. E. Peek (Rousdon) says that the Rainfall for 1893 

 (26-52in.) Avas 5-81in, below the average. It was a dry year, but less 

 so than in 1887 (25-33in.) and 1892 (25-75in.). The Rainfall of 

 March, April, May, and June amounted to only 1 99in., or 7-67in. 

 less than the average. The occurrence of four consecutive months 

 with a Rainfall of less than lin. each is almost unique in this 

 country. 



I give Mr. Peek's report on the gale of December 12th, which 

 was most destructive in its effects in most, if not all, parts of 

 Dorset, and which is noted by several observers. 



Report for December, 1893, Rousdon. 



Wind. — The wind movement amounted to 12,467 miles, which 

 was 302 miles below the average. The greatest movement in one 



