48 
METEOROLOGY OF 1 897 . 
out the month, and the double cross-line indicates the aver- 
age temperature for the month. 
§46. From the diagram, which puts in graphic form a 
portion of the summary given in table 2, it will be observed 
that the lowest temperature recorded during the year was 
in January and was 26'' below zero, and that the highest 
temperature in the same month was 64°. For the 31 days 
of the month the maximum temperatures of each day aver- 
aged 40 and throughout the month the minimum tempera- 
ture descended on the average to 9°. The temperature fell 
below zero in five different months and rose above 90° in 
three months. The greatest range in any single month is 
in January when the range was from 26° below zero to 64° 
above, or an absolute range of 90°. The range during the 
year was 120''. 
§46. The same diagram shows the average monthly 
temperatures for 1897 by two short cross-lines and the nor- 
mal by the full line crossing the vertical lines. As shown 
by the diagram both January and February were warmer 
than the average, March was cold. May warm and Septem- 
ber unusually warm. April is nearer the average tempera- 
ture of the year than any other single month, October is 
slightly above the yearly average, and the mean of April 
and October is close to the average of the year. 
§47. The monthly mean barometer, as shown in fig. 15, 
requires little comment. The variation during 1897 
greater than the normal, February and March being below, 
while the two succeeding months, as well as August, Sep- 
tember and October are above the normal. 
Though the barometer is one of the most important in- 
struments for one observing the weather, and wishing to be 
forewarned of impending changes, it is one of the most use- 
less to the agricultural meteorologist. Not that it is not of 
some value, for the rise of water in soils, the flow of water 
in drains, the increase of seepage water, and the numerous 
important fluctuations, all show a connection with the 
changes in the barometer, but as a whole the connection 
with the phenomena of most importance in plant growth is 
obscure and not likely to be of value to other than the sci- 
entific student or the professional meteorologist. Many 
who are interested in meteorological observations have the 
impression that a barometer is one of the most necessary 
instruments and that no observations of value can be made 
without it. So far is this from being true that to most peo- 
ple it is of little use, and a small part of the expense re- 
