XXIX. 
REPOET OX THE RAINFALL IN HERTFORDSHIRE IN 1884. 
By the Bev. C. W. Harvey, XI.A,, F.R.Met.Soc. 
Read at Hertford, \bth April, 1885. 
I am sorry to report a slight decrease in the number of stations 
recording, and in the number of gauges at work. Instead of 
29 stations, we have this year only 28, from one of which no return 
has been received; and instead of 33 gauges, we have this year only 
31 in working order. Two observers have discontinued their 
records, viz., Bev. J. 0. Seager at Stevenage, whose observations 
have extended over 15 years, and Mr. McKenzie at Hoddesdon; and 
at Brocket Hall the record is this year defective. On the other 
hand, we have gained a fresh observer in Dr. Parker of Bennington, 
near Stevenage, a most enthusiastic meteorologist. 
The present year, as will be seen by a glance at the accompany¬ 
ing table, and by comparing that table with previous ones, proved a 
remarkably dry year; certainly the driest since 1874, and at some 
stations—notably Berkhamsted and Boyston—since 1864. It 
may be worthy of remark that for the last half century every 
tenth year has proved a dry year, i.e. 1834, 44, 54, 64, 74, and 84. 
Distribution of Rainfall throughout the Year. —Whether we 
divide the year into quarters, or into seasons, we find a deficiency in 
each quarter and in each season, as will be seen by the following 
comparison of the rainfall of 1884 with that of the mean of 1870-79 : 
ins. 
1st Quarter —1*21 
2nd ,, —2-56 
3rd „ —1*89 
4th „ —1-68 
ms. 
Winter Months —0-49 
Spring ,, —2 60 
Summer „ ■—1* 19 
Autumn ,, —3-06 
Thus spring and autumn were the driest seasons of a dry year, and 
May was the driest month. If any single month could be called 
wet, it would be December. July was the only other month besides 
December, the rainfall of which exceeded the mean, and this was 
on account of several heavy thunderstorms. The relation which the 
mean monthly fall of 1884 bears to the mean of 1870-79 is as 
follows :— 
in. in. in. in. 
Jan. 
— 0-24 
April 
—0-78 
July -f-0T5 
Oct. 
— M0 
Feb. 
—0-75 
May 
— 1*60 
Aug. —1*16 
Nov. 
— 1-02 
Mar. 
—0-22 
June 
—048 
Sept. —0-88 
Dec. 
+0-50 
Distribution of Rainfall throughout the County. —Though up¬ 
wards of 7 inches below the mean fell in each of the two main Biver 
Basins of the Thames and Ouse, the deficiency was rather more 
apparent in the former. In the five districts into which these two 
river basins are divided, whilst the deficiency was considerable both 
in the Colne and Lea divisions, it was most noticeable in that of the 
Cam. 
