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- 
ON EAIN, AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAIN GAUGES. 
233 If-' 
\ 
Fig. 1. 
ON RAIN, AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF EAIN GAUGES. 
By E. J. LOWE, Esq., F.R.A.S., JI.B.M.S., &c. 
)A MONGST the many useful enquiries that claim the attention of the practical gardener, that of the 
Ail amount of rain is an important one ; it is so various in different localities, and indeed in the same 
locality at different periods, that a more intimate knowledge is highly desirable, not only for the wel- 
fare of the out-door plants, but in the construction of cisterns for the supply of water for the green- 
house or the stove. 
The instrument by which we measure the rain-fall is easily constructed, 
and as such, should be more widely spread. The best form is that of a 
cylindrical vessel of brass or zinc ; the latter would be the cheapest, and 
answers all purposes equally well. Into this cylinder, a funnel, with its 
tube bent, fits tightly ; the diameter should be eight inches, and the tube 
about an inch in length. The object of this bended tube is to prevent 
evaporation taking place from the surface of rain collected in the rain gauge, 
for a few drops of water will hermetically seal the opening from the escape 
of vapour, and most frequently the evening dews will 
deposit sufficient moisture for this purpose, which the 
heat of the day will scarcely have time to dissipate 
before night brings a fresh supply. 
The readiest mode of measuring the amount deposited 
in the gauge is X>y procuring another cylindrical vessel, or measure, which is ex- 
actly four inches in diameter, and four inches deep : this, when quite full, will just 
contain an amount equal to the deposit of an inch of rain as collected in the eight- 
inch gauge. Parts of an inch can be measured by plunging a rule (fig. 2) per- 
pendicularly to the bottom of the measure, the portion wetted by the water being 
the decimal part of an inch required. Thus, having made a rule exactly four inches 
in length, and divided it into ten equal parts, and each division being subdivided 
into ten others, a measure is obtained which will read off to a hundredth of an 
inch, and as the divisions are tolerably wide, it is not difficult to estimate even to 
thousandths of an inch. Thus, for example, as used in the measure, the rule four 
inches long, divided into 100 parts, represents one inch of rain fallen ; the score 
at twenty-five, or one inch, represents a fall of a quarter of an inch, and so on. 
The mean annual amount of rain which falls in England is rather more than 
thirty inches in round numbers, but this is very different, as before stated, in dif- 
ferent localities. At Newcastlc-on-Tyne, it is 1 7 - 6 inches ; at Felthorp (Norfolk), 
22-6 inches; at Boston, 23-1 inches; at Edinburgh, 2o-0 inches; at Highficld 
House (Nottingham), 27 inches ; whilst in the lake district of Westmoreland at 
Grasmerc, it is 107'5 inches; at Gatcsgarth, 117-2 inches; at Sparkling Tarn, 124 
inches ; and at Seathwaitc, 140-G inches. 
With regard to the different amounts which have fallen at the same places 
in different years, the following brief table will afford sufficient illustration : — 
At Edinburgh, in 1827, the amount fallen was 82"6 in., in 1826 it was only 15*3 in. 
At Highficld House, in 1848, „ 
At Rochdale, in 1836, „ 
At Liverpool, in 1841, ,, 
At Goodamoro (Devon), in 1839, „ 
At Keswick, in 1846, „ 
In Cornwall and Devonshire the greatest amount of rain falls in winter, whilst 
in the remaining counties of England, excepting in the north (where this law is 
variable), the most occurs in summer. At Keswick, Styhead, .Sparkling Tarn, 
Applegarth, and Glcncorse, it is greatest in summer; at Grasmere, Seathwaite, 
Qatesgarth, Gilmorton, and Glasgow, it is greatest in winter ; and at Great Gable, 
and Neweastlc-on-Tyuc, it is greatest in spring. 
The amount of rain which fell between a.m. and 10 p.m. at lligliiield Douse. 
JO 
7.. 
7d 
ts 
to 
38-5 „ 
in 1844 
11 
20-1 
614 „ 
in 1814 
11 
31 '4 
49-5 „ 
in 1826 
»1 
22*2 
70-1 „ 
in 1844 
,, 
11-6 
74-3 „ 
in 1817 
It 
17 
J 
Fig. 2. 
in 1SJ0, is 12-9 inches, or about an inch for each hour; the amount fallen between 10 p.m. and 
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