COUNCIL FOR 1879 . 
15 
at the Friends’ School in Bootham the thermometers marked 
and those of Mr. J. Backhouse, of Westhank, as low as 
G®'5 on the night of the 7th. 
The maximnm temperature of the year was 75°, observed in 
2 days in July and 3 in August; the minimum, as has been 
stated, being 0, gives an annual range of 75°. 
The amount of rainfall during 1879 was 23‘02 inches, being 
4‘85 less than the average of the last ten years, hut the number 
of days in which rain fell in 1879 exceeded by ten the average 
of the period just mentioned. 
We do not as yet, at this station, possess an instrument for 
the registration of the duration of sunshine; hut there can he 
no douht that in the past year it Avas very much below the 
aA^erage, as may he inferred from observations taken at 
Grreenwich, Avhere such an instrument has been in use for some 
time. Mr. Symons, F.B.S., states in his Meteorological Report 
for the past year that the total duration of sunshine recorded at 
the station above mentioned during the months of May, June, 
July, and August amounted to 516 hours only, or little OA^er 
an aA^erage of 4 hours daily during what are usually the 
sunniest months of the year. 
t/ 
With respect to the winds, the most noteworthy point has 
been the unusual prevalence of those bloAving from an easterly 
quarter, as Avill be seen from the following summary:— 
N. to E.—E. to 8. 
1877— 111 days. 
1878— 138 „ 
1879— 170 „ 
S. to W.—W. to N. 
254 days. 
227 
195 
A mean of ten years given by Professor Phillips shews— 
N. to E.—E. to 8. S. to W.—W. to N. 
131 days, 227 days, 
or very nearly the same proportion as in 1878. 
Tlius the meteorological characteristics of the past year may 
be smnmarily described as consisting of low temperature, 
persistent rain, absence of sunshine, and abnormal prevalence 
of easterly Avinds, a combination of conditions amply sufficient 
to account for the A^ery unsatisfactory results of agricidtural 
operations.. 
