474 BOARD OF AGKICULTUKE. 



METEOROLOGY. 



The importance of meteorological data in connection with 

 observations upon plants or animals is apparent to all. No 

 conclusions based on such observations are firmly grounded 

 until the conditions of temperature, moisture and sunlight 

 have been duly considered. The weather, therefore, con- 

 stitutes an important factor in all experiments with, animal or 

 vesfetable orsranisms. 



To supply these useful and necessary facts the station has 

 provided itself with the ordinary meteorological instruments 

 for measuring temperature, rainfall, relative humidity of the 

 air, etc., uniform with those in use by the United States 

 Signal Service. These comprise an ordinary exposed ther- 

 mometer, hygrometer, maximum and minimum self-register- 

 ing thermometers, and rain and snow gauges. The 

 thermometers are of high, standard quality, of which the 

 names of the makers — Messrs. J. & J. H. Green of New 

 York, — are sufficient guarantee. These are placed in a 

 small thermometer house, specially constructed for the pur- 

 pose, with sides of open shutters, five feet above the surface 

 of the ground, and at sufficient distance from any buildings 

 or trees to allow free exposure toward all points of the com- 

 pass. 



Three times daily, at 7 a. m., 2 p. m., and 9 p. m., the 

 temperature and relative humidity of the air, amount and 

 direction of clouds, direction and force of wind, state of the 

 weather, and amount of rain, if any has fallen, are recorded. 

 In addition to these observations, the maximum and mini- 

 mum temperatures for the previous twenty-four hours are 

 recorded at 9 p. m. These tri-daily observations give a very 

 complete record of meteorological phenomena. 



The station has become a "voluntary observer" in co- 

 operation with the Signal Service, and forwards to that 

 deparmcnt a duplicate record of observations for each month, 

 receiving in return its Farmer's Daily Weather Bulletin, and 

 publications. The bulletins are posted in a conspicuous 



