SUPPLEMENT. 



Summary of Meteorological Observations for the year 1870, taken 

 at Amherst, Mass., by Professor E. S. Snell, Z/JJ. D. 



Latitude 42° 22' 17^'. Longitude 72° 34'' 3C. Elevation above tlie sea level, 207 feet. 



REMARKS. 



The weather in Amherst has been remarkable for the exceeding dryness of 

 the last eight months of the year, and the consequent extreme heat of the 

 summer. 



The average amount of rain per month since May 1, was only 2.771 inches, 

 the rain-fall for that month having been only 1.723 inches. 



The mean annual rain-fall for the past ten years was 46.200 inches, while 

 for 1870 the amount of rain and snow, measured as water, was only 39.700 

 inches. 



The mean cloudiness of the ten years was .51 of the sky, while for 1870 the 

 cloudiness was only .48. 



The mean force of vapor for the ten years was .292 of an inch, and the 

 humidity, 76 ; and for 1870 the former was .319, and the latter, 72. 



The mean height of the barometer for the ten years was 29.712 inches ; 

 that for 1870 was 29.091 inches. 



The mean temperature for the ten years was 46.87° Fahrenheit, while for 

 1870 it was 49.17°. The average temperature of each of the three summer 

 months was above 70°, while in 1869 there was no month in the year Avith so 

 high an average as 70°. The mean summer temperature of 1869 was 66.89°, 

 while that of 1870 was 71.70°. 



There was no frost for more than six months after April 1, and the mean 

 temperature for the seven months after that date was 02.26°. 



Indeed, we have no record of a season so warm as that of 1870, and it is a 

 remarkable fact that the temperature did not fall to zero during the year. 

 The winds have been unusual in respect to the amount and velocity from an 

 easterly direction, — there having been two very severe and destructive gales 

 from that quarter. In the month of June, one-half the wind was from the south- 

 east. The winds of the ten years were distributed thus : From the north-west, 

 46 per cent. ; from the south-west, 18 ; from the south-east, 24 ; and from the 

 the north-east, 12. For 1870 the distribution was as follows : From the 

 north-west, 43 per cent. ; from the south-west, 15 ; from the south-east, 27 ; 

 and from the north-east, 15. 



During a portion of January, 1870, there was no frost in the ground, and 

 the soil was in a fair condition for plowing, and this was successfully under- 

 taken by several farmers In the vicinity of the college. 



The spring flowers appeared about one week earlier than in 1369, as 

 follows : — 



Symplocarpus foctidus, (skunk's cabbage), Jan. 15. 



Populus balsamifera, (poplar), April 7. 



