July 3, 1914] 



SCIENCE 



.31 



Problem." By H. H. Kimball. (Pp. 29-35.) 

 On account of the usual smoke-blanket over 

 cities', sunlight is diminished in intensity, and 

 Tadiation is hindered. The effect is greatest 

 in winter and in the early morning when the 

 air circulation is slowest. The duration of 

 fogs is increased by the presence of smoke 

 because of the protection against sunlight and 

 "because of the actual coating of the particles 

 "with oil. On account of smoke and fog, 

 Tiigher minima and lower maxima tempera- 

 tures occur in cities than in the surrounding 

 country. 



" The Effect of Weather upon the Yield of 

 Corn." By J. "Warren Smith. (Pp. 78-93.) 

 The rainfall at the time of flowering of the 

 corn and shortly thereafter (generally, the 

 four weeks beginning the middle of July), is 

 a great factor in determining the success or 

 failure of the crop. In this period a few 

 moderately heavy rains are most favorable. 

 The rate of growth of the corn corresponds 

 ■closely to the maximum temperatures. There 

 are maps showing corn-acreage, dates of plant- 

 ing and harvesting, and the periods between 

 these dates.2 



ANTARCTIC METEOROLOGY 



Some of the meteorological results of Scott's 

 last expedition are reviewed by Dr. J. v. Hann 

 in the Meteor ologische Zeitschrift, February, 

 1914 (pp. 62-67). Also a short review of an 

 article by Prof. W. Meinardus is to be found 

 in the Scientific American, April 25, 1914 

 (p. 347). Cape Evans (77° 35' S., 166° 32' E.) 

 at the foot of the Ross Barrier, Cape Adare 

 (71° 18' S., 170° 9' E.) on the west side of the 

 lioss Sea, and Framheim (78° 38' S., 195° 30' 

 E.) on the ice sheet not far southeast of the 

 Poss Sea, are stations from which observations 

 of some length are available. Winds of low 

 velocity are most frequent for these three 

 •stations, — ^particularly for Framheim. The 

 ■stillness of the atmosphere at Framheim is 



3 Detailed studies of plant growth as related to 

 soil and meteorological conditions are in the course 

 of preparation for an extensive atlas of American 

 agriculture, under the direction of Mr. O. E. 

 Baker, of the Bureau of Plant Industry. 



favorable to excessive cooling of the lower air. 

 As a result, the annual temperature there 

 was — 24.4° 0. (10 mo. obs., 2 mo. interpolated). 

 The summer temperature was — 7.3° and the 

 winter temperature — 37.8°. Cape Evans near 

 the base of the Eoss Barrier is subject to west- 

 wind blizzards in which the wind is extremely 

 gusty. Simultaneously, Cape Adare, a short 

 distance north, experiences light southwest 

 winds. This anomaly is apparently the result 

 of the convectional circulation due to a large 

 difference in temperature between the air at 

 the top of the Eoss Barrier and that over the 

 Eoss Sea. The dense cold air, thus forced over 

 the cliff, makes an air-fall of great velocity 

 (this phenomenon is known as the " bora " 

 in Europe). 



Atmospheric electricity is- at a maximum in 

 summer and at a minimum in winter, the re- 

 verse of the rule in middle latitudes. Nitric 

 acid in rain(snow) -water is about the same in 

 amount as that found in Europe. This fact 

 is opposed to the idea that thunderstorms are 

 largely responsible for the nitric acid found 

 in rain water. The carbon dioxide content of 

 air samples was 0.0205 per cent. — a striking 

 contrast to the usual 0.03 per cent, of other 

 parts of the earth. The samples from which 

 these determinations were made were collected 

 by Mr. E. E. Godfrey, of the Charcot Expedi- 

 tion, 1909-1910.^ 



notes 

 Dr. TIergesell, head of the Meteorological 

 Institute of Strassburg, has been appointed to 

 succeed Dr. Assmann as director of the Aero- 

 nautical Observatory at Lindenberg. 



On January 6, 1914, Dr. Nils Ekholm 

 succeeded Dr. H. E. Hamberg as director of 

 the Swedish Statens Meteorologiska Cen- 

 tralanstalt. 



Observations of Messrs. Okada, Fujiwhara 

 and Maeda indicate that thunderstorms may 

 produce seiches in lakes. The change of pres- 

 sure, impulsive action of the wind and rain- 

 fall seem to be the principal causes.^ 



fie American, April 11, 1914, p. 304. 

 5 Nature, April 30, 1914, p. 222. 



