Table No. 3, containing the amount of rain which fell during each month for nine years, viz: from January 1, 1843, to January 1, 1852. Months. 1843. 1844. 1845. 1846. 1847. 1848. 1849 1850 1851. Monthly average. Inches Inches Inches Inches Inches. Inches Inches Inches Inches. Inches. 2.27 1.60 5.54 1.51 0.52 2.56 3.47 2.37 1.04 0.80 4.38 1.95 3.05 3.40 2.20 2.55 April ...... .... September.. October November. December..... 5.10 1.75 3.35 1.55 4.0 2.05 1.37 2.58 2.38 2.77 2.79 Annual amount.. 40.93 49.17 43.04 44.90 32.61 44.23 38.49 40.69 46.91 DEAR SIR: The foregoing abstracts from my meteorological journal, which I now send for publication in the "Patent Office Report, are copied with great care. My observations being made for my own use, I think that I can say that they can be relied upon as being as correct as observations could be made under ordinary circumstances. J. HALL. ABSTRACT OF METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS NEAR WASHINGTON, ARKANSAS, FOR THE YEARS 1850 AND 1851, NORTH LATITUDE 33° 44'. Warmest day in 1850, August 13, 101°. Coldest day in 1850, December 7, 129. Warmest day in 1851, August 14, 102°. Coldest day in 1851, January 9, 18°. The above report, as to rain, will only apply to my own immediate neighborhood, and would vary materially from an account kept within three miles of me, in any direction. To ascertain the quantities of rain that fall in any considerable extent of country, during any given time, it would be necessary to keep accounts at different places. In this southern clime, especially during the summer months, we seldom have a general rain, but only local showers, pervading but a small extent of territory; and not unusually these local showers fall repeatedly upon the same localities, sufficiently often for the requirements of the growing crops, making them abundant; while within the distance of two or three miles very distinct showers, and at very different times, are received, and in insufficient quantities. These showers also vary in their quantities and manner of falling; sometimes we have a fall of two and even three inches in the space of an hour, and succeeded by a drought of four or five weeks; and again we have light showers of an eighth or a quarter of an inch a day, for several days in succession. In 1850, from the 20th February to the 1st of April, the weather was favorable, and the soil in good condition for ploughing and planting, and much corn was up, promising well; but on the first two days of this month, there fell nearly three inches of rain, which saturated the ground; this was followed by frost, that killed most of the corn that was up. Replanting was immediately resorted to; but from the 16th of April to the 13th of May a continued succession of cold rains, amounting to nine inches in all, had the effect of rotting the seed in the ground, making replanting again necessary. From this time the season continued favorable until the last of July, when a drought commenced which continued till the 25th of August. Corn was in roasting ear, and cotton backward. Rain then set in, and in six days there fell seven inches, accompanied with a wind that prostrated all the heavy corn and destroyed a large portion of it. Corn and cotton that year yielded less than half the average. In 1851, from the middle of March to the middle of May, the season was as favorable as could be desired, and every prospect of fruitfulness better than we had had for several years; but froin that time, when an increased supply of rain was essential to perfect the crops, a drought fol. lowed, with highly increased heat, the thermometer ranging up to 90°, and gradually rising, through July and August, up to 102°, without rain enough at any one time to lay the dust. Our wells throughout the prairies all failed, and all the streams nearly dried up. Many families were compelled to haul water for house use from two to five iniles. Cotton suffered much less than corn, and is said to be two-thirds of an average crop. Corn is less than half, and sweet potatoes almost a failure. And yet, in a neighborhood only two miles from me, a rain of two inches fell on the 17th of June, and another of one inch on the 10th of July-those five plantations have produced first rate crops. Many instances of the kind have occurred in small districts throughout the country. METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS MADE AT EAST MONTPELIER, WASHINGTON COUNTY, VERMONT. By B. J. WHEELER. 1844. Months. days. Clear Cloudy Rainy Snowy Clear Cloudy Rainy Snowy days. days. days. evenings. evenings. even's. evenings. Months. 1845. Clear Cloudy Rainy Snowy Clear Cloudy Rainy Snowy days. days. days. days. evenings. evenings. evenin's. even's. |