clxv 



The lowest temperature of that January was — 12°.5, and the highest 

 45°. 5; the mean was only 19°. 3, while the mean of January in 40 years 

 proves to be Si^.S. 



The mean temperature of the first .18 days of this present January is 

 only i3°-5, and how much the last 13 days of the month will raise it is to 

 be seen ; it will be no doubt one of the coldest, if not the coldest, January 

 on record. 



Several members expressed the opinion that the late severe 

 cold had some connection with the excessive drought of last 

 summer. 



Mr. Riley called attention to the fact, that, notwithstanding the 

 glowing accounts given last summer of the climate of the Black 

 Hill country, the thermometer had there recently fallen to 40° 

 below zero ; and the soldiers sent out to drive away the gold- 

 hunters, found none such, and were glad to get away, in most 

 cases, with frozen limbs. 



February i, 1875. 

 W. T. Harris, President, in the chair. 



Twenty-four members present. 



The Corresponding Secretary laid the exchanges on the table, 

 and made some remarks as to their contents. 



Judge Holmes next called the attention of members to an in- 

 teresting article by Herr Plath (Sitzungsb. der K. Akad. der 

 Wissenschaften zu Miinchen, 1873, Heft vi.) on the agricultural 

 economy of the Chinese and Japanese. 



The subject is treated with great learning and minuteness of detail of the 

 more important facts. It is a matter of singular interest that we have in 

 China a fine country stretching from the sub-tropical to the cold temperate 

 zone and climate, and from the low sea levels and valleys to the loftiest 

 ranges of mountains, and inhabited by 400 millions of people, whose agri- 

 cultural history and experience reaches back through 4,000 years and more, 

 and whose libraries contain more than 160,000 volumes relating to agri- 

 culture alone. Nearly the whole available territory even to the tops of the 

 highest hills, which, in many places, are terraced and irrigated, is divided 

 up into small parcels, which we would rather call gardens than farms, and 

 is thoroughly cultivated, and largely by hand labor. A. proprietor owns 

 his land no longer than it is worked. Leasings are common. There are 

 few cattle and sheep, and beef and mutton scarcely constitute an article of 



