1886.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 121 



unquestionable. Daily weather signals are now displayed 

 in most of the large towns and cities of the State. The 

 system entails a trifling expense, and it seems desirable that 

 the Station should participate in an undertaking of such 

 unquestionable importance to the agricultural community. 

 There are critical periods in all farm operations, when fore- 

 warnings of storm or frost, such as are now disseminated 

 with promptness and accuracy, would be of great value to 

 the farmer, if available. As a scientific institution devoted 

 to agricultural interests, the Station ought to assist in this 

 plan ; and it will be able to do so during the coming year, as 

 soon as its main office is located on the grounds of the 

 Station. 



Briefly considered, the more important local meteorologi- 

 cal features of the year were the severity of the winter, the 

 favoring warmth and abundant rainfall of the summer season, 

 and the protracted mildness of the fall months. The tem- 

 perature of January, February and March, was below the 

 average of records kept in Amherst since 1836, while that 

 of February and March was absolutely lower than for any of 

 the corresponding months in this period.* 



The first important snowfall of the year occurred January 

 17, and local sleighing lasted from this time until March 26. 

 The total amount of snow precipitated during these months 

 \Vas 31.68 inches. Melting snow fell April 29, and the sur- 

 face of the ground froze and ice formed May 4. The last 

 serious frosts occurred May 10, 11, and 12, although a slight 

 frost was noted on lowlands June 10. The following table 

 shows the comparison between the rainfall and temperature 

 of the spring and fall months, arranged in fortnightly 

 periods, and the averages of similar periods for the forty- 

 eight preceding years : — 



* See abstract from records of Amherst College, published in the Second Annual 

 Report of the Experiment Station. 



