ON SUNSPOTS AND RAINFALL. 



253 



The mean for the cycle is 376 inches, and 37 - 4 inches for the years 

 1843 to 1857. 



The maximum rainfall occurs about one year before the year of 

 maximum sunspots, and the minimum rainfall in the years of minimum 

 sunspots at the beginning and end of the cycle. 



There is apparently a tendency to a double oscillation, the rainfall 

 diminishing a little from the fourth to the seventh year of the cycle, and 

 then increasing a little to the ninth year. 



58. The following table shows the variation for each country or 

 district. 



Table XXXIX.— Rainfall variations from 1844 to 1856. 



In Great Britain the maximum and minimum rainfalls are respectively 

 in or very near the years of maximum and minimum sunspots, but there 

 seems to be a tendency to a double oscillation. 



The variation for the Continent of Europe is, on the whole, unfavour- 

 able. This arises from heavy rains having occurred at a good many 

 stations in 1844 and 1845. 



Both in America and in India the maximum rainfall occurs one year 

 before the year of maximum sunspots, and the minimum rainfall in 

 the years of minimum sunspots, with, however, a tendency to a second 

 minimum and maximum between the principal maximum and mini- 

 mum. 



The variation of the mean rainfall of the two stations in the southern 

 hemisphere is similar to the variations of the rainfalls of Great Britain, 

 America, and India. 



59. Coming now to the next sunspot cycle, 1856 to 1867, we get the 

 results as given in Table XL. 



Not having the rainfalls of the ten American stations for 1868, I have 

 taken the thirteen years 1855-67 instead of the years 1856-68. 



The mean rainfall for the cycle is 38 - 4 inches, and 38 - 5 inches for the 

 years 1855-67. 



The years of maximum and minimum rainfall coincide with the years 

 of maximum and minimum sunspots, except in the eleventh year of the 

 cycle, and there is little or no appearance of a double oscillation. 



