SEMI-TROPIC CAIIFORMA. 
103 
(gUntafc. 
IRcported since o 
coinploto report.) 
y «t I >.« Ananias, Pal., 
Uober HI, IMS, mnl .1* 
nl ihn top of the aevcrnl 
In- reon-tf* Of tin. Blgonl 
a glass tube about three foot long, either instructive diversion, it will prove of great 
nl at the lower end in the shapo of a I (K-otiniiirj btiioGt. A few -implo 
ibo resting in a civ- 1 numts, toe study of a j 
iphoi 
i straight tube resting i 
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In response to freqtfent inquiries asking 
hii explanation of the various scientific 
terms mailt) use of by meteorologists, we 
state briefly the salient features, frr the 
convenience of our non scientific readers. 
The expression “mean," as may be ob¬ 
served in the above table, means an aver¬ 
age reading of an instrument for a definite 
period. May three observations are taken 
daily. The sum of the three readings of 
the instrument divided by three, will, give \ 
as its result, the mean of that instrument 
for the day; the hii mot Ihn daily means for 
a week, divided by seven, give* the weekly 
mean. Thu sum of the daily mean* for a 
month, divided by the number of days in 
the month, given th* monthly mean and the 
sum of the twelve monthly means, oonsti- 
tuticg a year when divided by twelve yield* 
a*, a result tlm annual inrun. 
The expression “barometer" is mailn me 
of a* a convenient term to express the 
barometric, been use indicated by the bar¬ 
ometer, or, more Strictly, utiwisplu 
sure. The iirinoiple «.f this insii 
simple. The denter the fluid in a statu of 
equilibrium, the less the height of the ver- 
tical column; the less the specific gravity, 
the higher tlm column. So then, h- mor 
cury is lb,?Hl time* heavier than uir, in nr 
dor to OMintarpoiiw, that is, bo nl r.iual 
weight with a oulunm of mercury thirty 
inches in height, we must, have a column of 
an of the same diameter 10,TM time- 
thirty inches, which would be nearly live 
miles, if it were composed of layers of the 
saum density throughout. Hut ns we s» ! 
vend the air become* constantly lighter, 
because of it* becoming more nlualiu ami [ 
tlm pressure abovo it decreasing, an that 
the limit of the atmosphere becomes much 
greater, and the real height of the uir may 
exceed 5100 miles. A baromotor cornual* of; 
tern, and filled with mercury. A scale 
affixed In a casing enclosing the gla.**, by 
which the height of the mercury in the 
tube can bo read. The ton of the 
I tubn is doted, the lower end open. 'I "i till 
it the tube i» upside down. When filled, 
on being inverted—placed in it* proper po¬ 
sition— the mercury in thu tuba sink*, leav¬ 
ing an open spare nt the ton nearly free 
from air, constituting what is Known as the 
tercullian vacuum. The open end with 
the mercury exposed is the place where thu 
atmospheric pressure i» exerted. The In 
meteorological 
k and a close attention to the many 
local signs generally preceding or acootn- 
panying any change in the weather, may be 
the mean* of saving many a hard day's 
work and harvest, even in our specially fa¬ 
vored vcini tropic California. 
(The above is furnished us by the I 
Mr. K. F. Kubel 
Signal 
point.) 
The population of California 
was in round numbers 940,000; 
ihe census show 
this 
1HK0 
mine of 
omotor can ins likened to an ordinary bal- | about ■> I per cent. I p-.n ihe same ratio 
Biiee. When, from any cause, a change j tho population in ItiOO will be I ,'fi* t,000. 
- I‘ r ' 
occurs in the atmosphere, a corresponding 
change takes place in the height of the col¬ 
umn of mercury in the tube. If the pres 
sure of air on the exposed surface of mer¬ 
cury increases, the mercury in the tube 
rises; if the weight of the air becomes less, 
the trip of the mercury fall*. The vacuum 
at the top of the column of mercury in the 
glass tube, acta as a sort of regulator, ex¬ 
erting a coriHtaut check on the surface of 
the mercury in the tube. Should air enter 
the tube, the vacuum is thereby destroyml, 
the check lessened, and the usefulness of 
the instrument impaired. Tho normal 
height of the column of mercury nt the sea 
level, is about thirty inches. Tho term 
barometric or atmospheric pressure, refers 
to the state of the column of mercury in the 
tube, 
Tho thermometer is the instrument con¬ 
structed on the principle of tho variation 
of the volume of a fluid by any change of 
temperature. Mercury i* generally used, 
alcohol, from its low freezing point, being 
used for exceedingly low temperatures. 
The maximum temperature for a day means 
the highest temperature recorded during a 
period of a ilav, week or any definite pe¬ 
riod. Minimum temperature refers to the 
lowest thornionietriu reading oL served also 
fur a certain lime, 
The term relative humidity, or amount of 
aqueous vapor in the atmosphere, as distinct 
from actual humility, i» used to exp re** the 
proportion that the amount nf watery vapor 
in the air bears to a perfectly indurated at 
musphere. I luring ilcosn logs nr dri/riiug 
rain tho air frequently become* fully sat 
united witli moisture. Thia then would rep 
resent 100 per edit.; an air only half satu¬ 
rated would be fid per ••rid. The readings 
a* reported by the Signal Service observers, 
therefore, do nut give the ni-tunl amount of 
moisture ill tho air, but only the amount 
present as proportionate to the amount that 
the air i» capable of detaining without da 
position, of a rtfofftv pi r*r*Mfug> of nuns 
turn. 
To such an extent arc tin *e xariou* ob 
Borvatiuns considered liy agriculturist* and i 
mb an important factor in the intolligrot | 
mduct of an agricultural enterprise Uio 
they become, tlial it would be well for ev¬ 
ery farmer to acquaint himself more Inti 
taly with the use* of tho various iimtru 
Dn. -I P. Win.vur, in an arti.!,- in 
Ca/jforniaii, on “Climatic Studies in South 
ern California," nays: Ours i* a climate 
which can hardly Ire described. The 
peculiar charm of it must lie felt to l^e un¬ 
derstood. * • * 1 do not say there is 
no mure perfect climate iban this belt af¬ 
fords, but 1 have never seen erne. 
Now is the time to come to this State. 
Land* are cheap, times ar>- good, and there 
is a disposition to treat the new cotnci with 
'be greatest kindness and consideration. 
Inridu of two years (and some claim within 
one year) low rates will lie secured from 
Europe and the Fast to California. As 
soon a* the great tide of emigration com¬ 
mences to roll in the State, lands will Ire 
increased in value, and all the choice loca¬ 
tions will ho taken up. Already there is a 
tendency to advance the prices of land*. 
In the settlement# lands have advanced 
during tlm last year at least per rent. 
We advise those who are intruding to make 
Southern California their home*, to do so 
as *oiin os possible. 
Prof. If. Von Schlagentweit says "The 
climate of California resembles in general 
character that of Italy, but baa not its ob 
jsotionablo affect of depriving the pwopia 
of the disposition and power of energetic 
mental and physics! labor. Tho ./o/«r jar 
nun/., of the Southern Italy i* unknown in 
Californio." Samuel Howies wrote, “there 
steady tone in the atmosphere like 
draught* of Champagne., or the subtle pres 
mue of iron. It in*ites to labor and makes 
l possible. Horses can travel m-.re mi (at 
hunt in a day than at tin* Root, and men 
and women feel impelled to an unusual 
activity." 
C. t. Brace say* “It is the moat exhil¬ 
arating atmosphere in the world. ’’ 
The London >).»• /-i/.v sard, editorially, 
that tlis climate of California i* like that of 
(Irseco cooled, and the oil mate of Tasmania 
is that of England etherealire-l, and the 
two are the nearest perfection in the world. 
Every subscription from cast of the 
lent* employed, ns in addition to being an j It.- -hy Mountain*, until October 1st for ♦ I. 
