MAY, 1885. MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. 136 viwtnorrt.-22a. Virginia.-6th, 19th, 9Oth, 21st, 33d to 26th. Washington !&3rritory.-23d. West Virginia.-2lst. Wyoming .-19 t h . The phases of the moon during May, 1885, were : last quar- ter, 7th, 3.37 a. m.; new moon, 14th, 10.11 a. m.; first quarter, 21st, 12.39 a. m.; full moon, 28tb, 3.25 p. m.: apogee, 4th, 5.18 a. m., and 31st, 6.64 p. m.; perigee, 16th, 4.54 a. m. wi8COM'%.-2Oth, 31st, 26th, 27th, 28th. MIRAQE. Mirage wm observed at the following stations during the Webster, Dakota, from 5d to 5th, 9th to lPth, 17th to %st, Tucson, Arizona, 8th. Harvard, Nebraska, 18th. Manistique, Michigan, 19th, 95th. Grand Haven, Michigan, 27th. month : 95ti1, m h , and 30th. MISCELLANEOUS PHENOMENA. SUNSETS. The characteristics of the sky, as indicative of Fair or foul weather for the succeeding twenty-four hours, hare been ob- served at all Signal Service stations. Reports from oue huu- dred and sixty stations show 5,046 observations to have been made, of which thirteen were reported doubtful ; of the re- mainder, 5,053, there were 4,284, or 85.1 percent., followed by the expected weather. SUN SPOTS. Professor David P. Todd, director of the Lawrence Obser- vatory, Amherst, Massmhusetts, furnishes the following record of sun spots for May, 1885 : -~ .......... I Gr'pe Spots Gr'ys Byota Gr'pa SyotR Gr'ps Spots 3, 5 P. 111.0 ! 1 I a 5 1 1 3 1 6 .8 5 1 , DO. __-I- - -_ I__,__-!. $1 1 2. 5 p. ni... 0 I... ........................ I ......... 7 701 ~ Broad ureas of faculu. g ,i l a .m .......................................................... I o ,I I a. m... 0 o j 4 101 o o i :I, 6 p. Ill... I 0 ' 7 Broud area# of faculw. 12. 12111. .... 0 2 ! ::$ : I 0 4 50 . , _. 15,Iam ...... I 3 8 .................. ' 1 1 3 ; 3 10 16.11a.m ... I 1s 0 3 ................... 4 251: 5 p.in... I o I 2 ~ 6 751: ' i$i 19, IO a.m... ........ .......... 5 65x Two of the spots very ; Iarge-oue with bright niirlens iu nnibra. ;i I ... . 1zm ....... 0 o o 0 o 2 j m .4 p .m .... 19, 4 P.m... . Facnle were neen at the t h e ureverv observation. IApproxiioated. Prof. L. a. Carpenter, of the Michigan Stat.e Agricultmal College, Lansing, reports si111 spots during M H ~, as follows : lst, 7 p. m., seven groups, thirty-eight spots ; Yd, 11 a. m., six groups, forty-five spots; 4th, 3.20 IJ. in., live groups, thirty spots; l l t h , 3.45 p. m., six gro1ips, twenty-fire spots; 13th, - p. m., five groups, thirtythree spots; lGth, 3.30 p. m., three group, tweuty-seven spots; 18th, 3.45 1). m., four groups, twenty-three spots; 28th, - p. m., seven groups, thirty-nine The Chief Signal Officer l i a ~ received from Mr. Frank Rede Fowke, Secretary to the Solar Physics Committee, Science aud Art Department, Loudon, 5. W., a tabulated statement of the "dates of coincidence of the assumed prime meridian of the aun with the central meridan of the visible hemisphere,'' cov- ering the period from 1873 to 1885, both iuclnsive. The fol- spots. lowing relating to the jea.r 1885, is from the table above re- ferred to : ~ Jannury. ................... I 26 February ................... zz March ..................... 22 April ......................... 1 18 Mny ' 15 June. ...................... I I .......................... I ! 25.61 July ........................ : g August ...................... I 5 ............... ! I ................ 28 .................. ~ 26 ................. ~ za December 19 ................. __ - . __ - The day of the year and the decimals of a b y are reckoned from Greenwich mean noon of' January 1st. The assumed prime meridian is that which coincided with the ascending node of the sun% equator at the epoch 1854.0. The assumed period of rotation is 55.38 meau solar days. DROUGHT. Bangor, Maine : on the 31st there was a heavy rainfall ; pre- vious to that date the crops were iu need of rain. Sanford, Florida : the raius on the 19th ended a drought which had prevailed in this vicinity for six weeks. Cedar Keys, Florida : drought prevailed in this i-egion dur- ing the month until the 91st, when 1.05 inches of' rain fell. The drought had prevailed for two mouths and as a result, t81ie water supply was very limited and crops suffered seriously. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: up to the Bth, barley, oats end wheat were suffering in consequence of dmight. The iuonthlg rainfhll WM the least that has fallen in Mag during the last fourteen years. Spokane Fells, Washington Territory : the ra,iu on the 13th was of great bene6t to the crops, which were suffering from drought. Red Bluff, California, 31st: stockmen report that iu the mountaiu regions the present season has been the driest known for many years, and that stock has suffered in corisequence of poor pasturage and scarcity of' wtbter. Beloit, Rock county, Wisrxmsin: the month of May was un- usiiallg dry i n this region. SLIRSCY, Waukeslia county, Wisconsin, 31st : the grain and grits8 crops suffered seriously from drought during the month, which was the driest kuowu for teu years. EARTHQUAKES. Winnemucca, Bevacla, 1st: a slight shock of eart,hquake occurred at 9.30 p. m., local time (12.21 a. m., 75th meridian). It was noticed by many persons in the central and lower por- tious of the town, while it was not perceptible east of the rail- road. It is reported to have caused swinging lamps to vibrate crockery mid windows to rattle, etc. Persons out of doors did not feel the shock, but sowe report having heard a rumbling noise, which was supposed to liiire been due to the earth- quake. The following is taken from " Nature," of May 7, 1885 : At half-past 1 o'clock, on the morning of the 1st instant, two or three rather &lent slioclis of earthgiiake were felt at Vienna, Austria, accompanied by a rolling nnise, and cansing a great. clatt.ering of furnhre. Shocks of far greater violence w r e ex,erieuced in Styria, where many hriiisea were damaged and some persons killed. In the western districts the shvcks were of a light. character. The ,henomenon ap ears to have estended soiithwsrd as far Griitz and west.\r.zrh to Bavaria. 1 shock was also felt at Mmte C'arln, at ten minutes to 3, on the niorning of the 2d inst.ant. The shock was strongest. in the districts of Condanione and the Cap d'Aile. Olympia, Washingtou Territory, 3d : a light earthquake shock occurred at 11.30 p. m. (local time). Light shocks con- tinued until 1.30 a. m., of the 4th. The following is taken from g L Nature " of May 28,1885: Shocks of earthquake were felt at Wartherg and Kindberg, Austria, on May -4 sharp h c k was felt at Smyrna. Turkey, at i.15 p. in., on May 26. '30. toward 1.:30 a. 111. 136 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. MAY, 18%. The New Yorli Journal of Commerce,” of June 3,1855, con. tained the following : London, Jnne ?.-A dispatch from Yerina ur, India, says that. citv was visited by a frightful earthquake on Sunday last, (Itfay 81st.). The shock;, which nc- curred at intervals of t.en minutes, were of rest violence. The greater part of t.he city was dest.royed and the cavalry harra&s is a mass of ruins. Pitty iersnns me known to have been killed and hundreds of the injnred have alreaiy been takeufroiu the general wreck. The total loss oflife or the nnmber ofthr maimed must remain nnknown for some days, as many of the inhabitant.s still lie huried in the ruins. When t.he shocks were first felt. and the peolile realized that. the were being snhjected to the awhl possibilities of a11 eitrthqnake the wiliest panic seized them. Every one able to do IO rnshed fron~ the t.iinibling houses and fled to the boats on the river and on the lakes, or sou ht the open country. The terrified inhabitants are now ctlniped in t.he fields tist. sorrc,und the t.own. Serinagur is near the centre of the vale of Cashmere, and t.hat. whole territory experienced the terrible earthquake shocks. The damage caused thronghnut the vale is enormons. The affri hted peo le seem to be ntterly helpless, and succor is being sent them as rapiil as the %dim authorities can orgmize relief. Many of t.he houses yet stan&ng show large rents in the walls and must be razed to the ground. The shocks have not yet ceasgd, and this fact greatly retards the work of rewiling the the peo le pinned down in t.he debris. and it is feared many of theRe niust perish before t\ey can be reached by the relief part.ies. FOREST AND PRAIRIE FIRES. The loss in cattle alone is very great. Baltimore, Maqlwnd, Sd: a fire broke ont in the woods near Back river, about ten miles ea’st of this city, buruiug over a n area about two miles in length. A quantity of fencing was destroxed. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 5th : an estemive forest fire has prevailed along the Blue mountains in Northampton county. The area burned was covered with valuable timber. Annapolis, Maryland, Yth : much valiiable timber, cord wood, ancl fencing liave been destroyed by forest fires on the north Severn river. Lynchburg, Virginia, 10t,h : reports from various points in the counties along the Blue Ridge mountains state tIii1,t t,he forest fires during the last two weeks have destroyed several dwellings with other property. East Sa.giiiaw, Michigan, lGth : report,s from Harrison st,i\.te that nearly a million feet of pine logs in that vicinity lii11-e been destroyed by forest, fires ; the loss is estimaberl at $10,000. Marqiiette, Michigan, lGtli : forest fires have ca.uned cousitl- erable damage along the Detroit and Milwaiikee ra.ilroatc1, be- tween this place aud Saint Ignilce. Five buildings at New- berry were burned. Milwaukee, Wisconsiu, lGtli : report,rc from various towns to the west and northwest., within fifty miles of this place, state that many settlements hare been endangered by forest fires, a,nd that mauy homes tieve been abatniloiied. Manistee, Manistee county, Michigan : pi-ope.rty rallied at @25,000 was biirnecl in this vicinity on the 16th. Luclington, Mason county, Mic1iiga.n : esteiisive forest fires prevailed along the line of the Plint and Pere Morq1iett.e rail- road on the 16th. Tlie village of Tallmau, in this county, was endangered, aud the roads between that pla,ce and Manistee were rendered impassable. . Green Bay, Brown county, Wisconsin: on the 16th, forest fires prevailed to the west and northwest of this place in Brown, Oconto and Shawauo conuties, destroying much fencing and endangering the villages. Edmore, Montcalm county, Michigan, 18th : Graftville, a small lumber town in this county, lies been destroyed by forest fires, entailing a loss of about 8540,000. At Stmton, also in this county, fifty-two hoiises were destroyed, involving a loss Riverhead, Long Island, 18th : forest fires in Suffolk conut,y have caused damage estimated at $60,000. Middletowu, Frederick count:y, Maryland : an esteusive fire prevailed ou South niountaiii, north of this place on tlie 19th. Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvmia : on the 19th exteiisire fires pre- vailed at Harvey’s lake, twelve miles froiii t,his place j much valuable timber was destroyed. Quebec, Province of Quebec: during the 91st and 39d the of $25,000. sun was obscured by smoke from fires which prevailed in the mountains to the north and northwest of this place. Ea,ston, Pennsylvania, 99d : the fires on Blue mountain in Northampton county, which were partly subdued two weeks ago, lime broken out afresh. In Moiiroe county a cousidera- ble mea has been burned over. Williamsport, Pennsylvania, 23d : destructive forest fires have prevailed in Sugar valley and in the White Deer mountains diiriug the past week. An area of twenty-five square miles has been burned over, destroying about $1,000,000 worth of property. East !Cowa,s, Iosco county7 Michigan : ou the 95th extensive forest tires were burniug to the north aud west of this place, destroying R large qua,nt.it;,V of pine timber. Mouut Washington, New Hampshire : on the 16th the val- leys to t.lie west of stat,ion were almost obscured by smoke from forest fires. On the l‘ith, eitensive fires prerailed in t h e vnlleys to the westward. These fires continued until the 23d. Prairie and forest fires were also reported from the following places : Humphrey, New York, 18th. Escauaba, Michigan, 14th, 15th, 16th. Grand Haven, Michigan, 16th, 17th. Saint Vincent, Minnesota, 11th to 14th. Fort Buford, Dakota, 9th. Biirliugton, Iowa, 15th. Yankton, Dakota, lst, 9d, 3cl, 5th, 9th, loth, 13th. North Platte, Nebraska, 13th. Harrard, Nebraska,, 30th. Bet,hel, Connecticut, 13th : the canker worm has caused some rlamage to orclli~rtls in this ( Peirlielcl) county. The Son Francisco Lb Ulir~nicle,’~ of May 15th, reports that grass-hoppers haw caused great damage throiigtiout a large part of the foot-hill region of California. They have appeared i n Placer, Ynba, Nevarla, Amador, Naps, Sonoma, San Jimquin, Bntte, Sec.mnien to, El I)orado, Teha,ma, and Merced coiint,ies. Tlie gritilifields m d orcli6wds in ma,ny of these conlitmien liave been entirely ruined. Na~shville, Teiinessee, 17th : reports from various .parts of the state show that t,he b L out-\t-orni ” has caused great da.msge to crops. About, tlie 38th pot.ato bugs beam to iq)pear, and were very tlestriictire. Iu Home iustances entire fields were destroyed in from two t.0 t,liree days. Wanhington, District of Columbia: the seventeen-year locusts were first obse17.c?d liere ou the 34th. Salt htke City, Ut,eh : ca,terpillars appeared about the 30Pli, and ciuwed much iujurg to trees. Veva.y, Switzerland comity, Indiana : large numbers of in- sects of various kinds made their appearance about the ZOth, and diiring the wma,inder of the month were very destructive t.0 reget&ou. Allnit, Union county, Illiuois : the seventeen-year locusts began to make their amppearanre in large numbers on the 35th, causing clamage to vegetables and early fruit in the 1oda.nds. Fort Myer, Virginia : large numbers of seventeen-year locusts niade their appearance about the 26th. For Rereral clays prerious to that date they were unearthed qnite numer- ously by workmen eugaged in grading at t9hiR place; they were first found at a depth of nine incbes below the surface of the grouncl. Denver, Colorado, 97th : reports from the south side of the Arkansm river above Pueblo, state that great nnmbers of gra,ssIioppers have appeared in that region and here devoured eiirlj vegeta,bles and shiwblmy. Little Bock, Arkansas, 38th : reports from Cra,ighea.d, Crit- teiideii and other counties iu uorthwestern Arkansas sta.te thnt locusts in vast niimBer8 have suddenly a.ppeared in that region, and have caused much damage to wheat Locusts first appeared in the vicinity of Little Rock, on the 30th. Reports from East and West Carroll parishes in Louisiana, INSECTS. MAY, 1886. MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. E37 state that locusts end cotton worms have also appeared i i those localities. The Signal Service observer a t Red Bluff, California, report; that during the month grasshoppers caused injury to vines youug trees and graiii field8 in that vicinity. 111 some instance; the fields of grain were so ba.dly damaged as to be not wort1 harvesting. Emmitsburg, Maryland : locusts made their appearance i1 this locality on the 31st. Lead Hill, Booue county, Arkansas, 31st: during the mid dle and latter portions of the month “cut worms” appeared ir large numbers and were very destructive to gardens. METEORS. Wytheville, Virginia: at 7.52 p. m. on the 6th, a meteor 0: a pale yellow color was observed moving slowly in a courst nearly parilllel to the horizon. Its flight wan^ from five tc seveu seconds dori$tion. Woodstock, Vermont : at about 9 p. m. on the 16th a large and brilliant ineteor was observed. It passed from the south western sky to within 3 3 O or 40° of the northeastern horizon producing a very bright light cluriug its pa,ssage. Lamar, Missouri : a brilliant meteor was seen moving from southeast to northwest et 4 a,. m. on the 93d. Before disap. pearing, i t exploded into many parts; it left a brilliant train, Meteors were also observed at the following places on the dates set opposite : Lead Hill, Arkansas, 1st. Fort Scott, Hansaa, 1st. Variety Mills ; Virginia, 31. Emmitsburg; Mitryland, 7th, 14th, 18th. ‘Cincinnati, Ohio, 8th. Webster, Dakota, 9th, l l t h . Presmtt, Arizona, 13th. Limona., Florida, 12t.h Oenoa, Nebraska, 14th. Pittsbnrg, Pennsylvania,, 14th. Ma.rion, Virginia, 14th. Charleston, Illinois, 15th. Sherlock, Kaiisas, 20th. Baltimore, M i ~y l ~n d , 20t.li. Sail Antonio, Texas, 2lst. Dale Enterprise, Virginia., 23d. t3e88e Wooclstock~ Maryl:tnd, Sfl. MIGRATION OF BIRDS. north?onrd.-Fort Pates, Dakota, 9th ; Moores- t,owu, Michigan, l2tlr ; Monnt Washington, New Hampshire, 6th ; Stateburg, South Carolina, 11th ; Tatoosh Island, Wnsh- ington Territory, 234 34th; Manistique, Michigarnu, 3d, 4th. Qeaeflying mdhtlmard.-Yum% Arizona, 3d ; Eastport, Maine, 30th; Saint Vincent, Minnesota, 8th. Cranes flying northzoard.-Embarras, Wiscoii~in, 11th. Ducks .flying Norlhlonrd-Tatoosh Island, Waahi ngton Ter- ritory, %MI, alst, 23d, 24th, 95th. POLAR BANDS. Archer, Florida, 3d, 4th, ‘ith, 11th. Limonia, Florida, 7th. 10th. Guttenberg, Iowa., 1st;. Yates Centre, Kausas, 10th. Mad, Kansm, 4th, 6tl1, 8tl1, 13611, 23d. Gardiner, Maine, 39th. Escanaba, Michigan, Slst, 27th. Monntalurille, NBw York, 27th. Waiiseon, Ohio, llth, 16th. Nashville, Tenneswe, 5tmh , 8th. El Paso, Texan, 94tlr, 35t.h. Wytheville, Virginia, Sd. Fort Thomas, Arizona, 4th. SAND STORMS. I ~ ~~ ~ - Willcox, Arizona, 13th. Ynma, Arizona, l4th, 15th. Fort Ylttes, Dakota, Sth, 13th, 2Sd. Schooner “Annie E. Lewis,” L. L. Lewis, master, May 3d, at 6.45 a. m., in N. !!3O 28/, W. SOo 3Y’, saw 8 water-spout; same day, at 5 p. m., in N. 5 5 O 8’, W. SOo 5f, saw another. Bark 1‘ Noidcap,” E. Sltlvesen, master, on May 6th, new N. 400 tiof, W. 4l0 OOf, saw a water-spout. Schooner 6‘ Annie Id. Lewis,?’ L. L. Lewis, master, on May 9th, 2.30 p. in., i n N. 36O 2Sf, W. 73O 3 0 1 , during a heavy squall, SAW several water-spouts, one of which passed over the schooner, but did 110 damage as it broke a short distance to windword of the vessel. The whirlwind accompanjiug it WRM terrific, lastiug a few seconds. 8.5. “Edith Qodden,” J. H. Bennett, commanding, May loth, 6.59 a. In., in N. 23O O’, W. 74O 29/, saw a waterspout. The following is from Captitiir Sawyer, rrf the hork “Vidette,” reports that on hIay 17th, 1885, a water-spotit appeai~rl tn forin and rise in the northeast i n a long spiral crilumn * position at timelatitittle XP 10’ niirtltq Iiongittule 780 5’ rent. It rose untii the sky allc;\e, csteiiding over tin aiw i r f R mile, was an inky black mass of Iipnvv clouds, gradually in~iving in R sinithsest direction until within half a niile.tif the vessel, when it seehiell to biirst, tlir rain coining down in torrenta Sir t \w huor~. This \vas nccompanied hy sadden, strong gusts of wind, shiR- ing suddenly from one qiiarter tii directly the rqqiiisite one, and with a force of six to eight, To the wwth nnrl soiithwest heftire and during the formation of the water-spout, the sky, ttb of monthly rainfall, 12.96 inches, at Bulling ; least dellth of monthly rainfh, 2.37 inches, at Clintonville ; greatest daily rainfall, avera e for state, 0 .X i 01 an inch, on the 27th ; greatest daily local rainfall, 6.80 inses, at Pine Apple, on the 30th ; days of general rainfall, ljth, 12th, Nth, "1st. "Pd, 28d, %th, Average number of days on which rain fell, 11 ; avera e nuiuber of clnod) days, 13 ; average nninLer of fair days, 11 ; average nutn8er of clear days, 7 : warmest days, Uth, 25th, 28th, 29th ; coldest days, 10th and 11th. Prevailing direction of wind, southwest. m h , 28th, Bth, 30th. The following is on extract from the May, 1885, report of the u Qeorgia Weather Service,77 under direction of Hon. J. T. Henderson, Commissioner of Agricultnre : The mean temperature of the month of May has been fimr degrees below the general average temperature fur this niiinth as deduced from meteorological observations of ten years, while the rainfall has been nearlv twice the nsaal amount, ap roaching closely to the average fur the month o$ A id. The numger of rainy days in the different sections has varieh !\on1 fire to twenty-three, the greatest nuinber occurring iii north Georgia, while the heav- iest precipitation and largest total rainfall, contrarv to what is usiial at this season of the year, has occurred in the inore southerly portiuns id the state. The low tem eratore has retarded the gniwth uf plants and furthered the destructive wor! uf the cot-worm. of which there has been lunch general coni- plaint. Bnt the weather conditions have been by no means as nnfacurable tn most crops as those of tlie preceding ninnth. The following meteorological siiinmary aiid accompanying remarks are from the May, 1885, report ofthe "Indiana Weather Service," under direction of Prof. H. A. Hiistnn, of Pnrdue Uuiversitx, Lnfayette : 0 0 14 57.4 4.80 14 59.9 2 .9 32 62.3 3.65 a4 60.1 3.78 Districts. 0 0 ................................................ .................................................. Northern cuuutles 29.5 53.4 4.59 Central coiintiee 24 m. I 3.14 Southern coiiu t ies ............................................... 35 61.6 3.71 State ......................................................... Sg 24 60.4 3.81 The mean teni eratnre nfthe state fiw May, I N O .:~~, was 1O.1'1 l i e l ~~ that tiir last year; 3O.61 Eelow the mean nf fourteen years at Indianapnlis ; lO.34 abiivr the mean of nine years at Waibash ; 5O.58 below the mean of twenty-sis years at Logansport, OO.91 below the mean fJf thirty-one years at Spiceland, 5O.01 below the mean of twenty-one years at Vevay, l0.1i below the mean iif .six years at this station and abont P.50 below the normal. The mean preciphion fin the State for May, 4.81 inches, w a ~ 0.20 inch below that for last year ; 0.M helow the mean of fourteen years at Indianapo- lis ; 0.46 below the mean of nine years at Wabash ; 0.10 below the mean ut three years at Worthin on ; Or41 below the mean of twentj -six years at the mean of twenty-one years at Vev-ay, 0.Ri below the inern of ria years at this station, and about 0.60 inch brbw the normal. Locusts appeared i n the southern counties during the last week of May, and in the central counties duriug the first week of June. A severe thunder-storm accompanied by high wind and hail I m w w r l at Spiceland on the 24th. On the evening of the Y2d arery heavy rainfall occurred at Brookrille. Three inche.; of rain fell in three hours, the railroad tracks were washed nut. the canal bank broken and nioch other damage done. The heavy rainfall seeni~ tn h:ive been the result of the uniiin of two storms. one from the southwest and the other from the northeast. The frost of the 10th did some damage to crops at Knightsttian. The following is the May bnlletin of the 6bIowa Weather Service." under the direcltion of Dr. Qiistsvns Hinriclis. Iowa I - Logausport, 0.22 ahore t f e iuean of twenty-six years at Spiceland, 0.2s :l b l w C The season has been from one to three weeks late. Precipitatinn, 1 inch ; thermnmetrr fell Jio. The storm p a ~e t l t n the eaytward atter the union. city: ' May, 1885, was cool and windy, westerly winds prevailing. The mean teiu )eratiire of the air was nne and a lialf degrees Lelnw normal. Since 1860, May kas been five times inrich colder, namely i n lW3, 1882. 1878. 1878, and 1867. Generally. once in three yeam. May is as cnld, or colder. as it was this year. The firat decade was remarkably cold, being seven de rees below normal ; nn the 5th. a slight SnOW MI i n northern Iowa. and ice fad formed on stand- ing water. This cold coutinued till the 9th. The second decade was only one and a half degrees below the normal. and the 18th was its coldest day. The third decade was decidedly warm. being three degrees above normal. and the tem >erstwe runuing up above 81)~ on the '22d and 28d. Tke nnniber of days with rain was about normal and the total amnunt was almitt 30 per cent. in excess nf nnrn~nl. The heaviest rain uccurred on the 18th and 20th, esceeding two inches. No destructive storms hare visited Iowa; tornadoes are yet restricted to southern states. The cold, high winds from the 6th to the 9th were succeeded by a spell of remarkably fine weather, lasting till the 16th. The continued cold weather left the ground cold till into the third decade, and must be the main cause of the failnre of much of the corn planted before the 95th. The spring season now cloreil has been about two degrees below the normal and vegetation is accordin Iv veri- Iincliward. For the first time since %e white race inhabits this valle have we had three consecutive severe winters. We now can see not onlv aiditional gaps in our orchards, but even the Concord grape-vine is almost killed. The normal cold spells of Ellay were severe, but set in extraordinarily earl namely. fuor days in advance nf the nnrnial date. Vegetation being very hacH1 ward, no harm could be done to frnit bnds. The following extract is from the May, 18&, report of the 6' Louisiaua Weather Service," under direction of Mr. Robert 5. Dar, New Orleans: The mean ten1 ieratore h ~r the month of May was lo IJeIuw that for the same month lust year, \mt the estremea were slightly greater. From the 1st to the 15th it was cooler and the rest of the month warmer than osnul. Two cold waves ci-ussed the state un the :3d and Sth, and on the 9th and 11th. the tbrtuer being clnite severe, bnt diiing n i l ~Ianiage to cro is. The rainfall was quite evenly rlistrilded, and rbont one-half the quantity of last year's average. NO escessive weather is reliiwted, and all farm work has progressed uninter- rlllJtedlv. The following meteorological summary and accompanying reniarks are from the May, 1885, report of the "Indiana Volun- teer Weather Service," under direction of Professor W. H. Ragau, of De Panw University, Greencastle : .I Teniperntiire. - -. i Precipitation. DiRtrictw. The \r.erther cnnditiiiiis #:if the state were dominated by a high llaronieter on :he Sd. 15th. 16th. 19th, aiid Iiy a lnw on the lst, 5th. tjth, Tth, 8th. 9th. 17th, IPth, 48t.h, 21th. 30th. And on tlie 211. 4t.11, lOt.h, llth, 19th, 1:3th. 14th. 2i)th. !1st, 9"d, 28d. Wh, 25th. Wh, "ith, :31st, neither cyclonic nor anti-cyclonic Forces were present in an ini mrtant degree. The temperat,ure seems to k v e ranged from one to four degrees below the nor- ins1 at various stations. The highest t.emperatures occurred at most stations on :he 24th. in connection with a low 1)aiwniet.er central, that morning, north of t.he ~k e s , and a high barometer ceiitr:il off the middle Atlantic coast. The lowest ,emperatures nccurred mostly iin the 3d, 8th, and loth, in connect.ion with hi h mrnniet.ers crnt.ra1, on the :3d, in the middle Mississip >i valley, on the 8t%, inrth of Mont.ana. and nn the I0t.h. north of Dakota. h e r e was a low cen- ral over tlie Gulf of Saint Lawrence on the :3d,.one central north of Lake Yu- !erior inn the 8 t h and nni-th ilf New T d i on the 10th. The rainfall was t.olerahly evenly distribut.ed thrniigh the month and over the state. The noinher of ststions reporting and t.he aggregate precipitation on the t-aiiinos days of the mimth fidlows, i n the order of date, number of statiune, ag ;regate precipitation : 1st.. 11i. 1.58 ; 3d, 2, 0-19 : Yd, 25. 9.116 ; Mi, 5, 1.00 ; ith; 1% 4.57: fith, 11. 25.41: 7t.h. 5. 0.54; Sth, 7, 0.P2; gth, I:$ 0.74; IOth, 1. O.(I:<: 13th. 2Jq 0.t;P: Ilth, 11. 0.90: 18th. 10, 0.lji; Isth, 9, 0.60; Slst, 28. 7.8:3; T2d. 2.5, 11.47; SSd, 11,:3.35; 24th. 97, 11.60; %th, 13,4.10: ttjth, 3, KWL: 27th. I!). 4.35; SPth. 24. 11.67 ; Wh, 29, 18.21 ; 80th, 98. IO.89; (1st. 4. 0.02 : none. llth. 14th. 15th, 16th. 17t.h. 2Ot.h. Thnnder-storms were :enera1 t i n the 5th, tith. 18th. 21st., 2 d . %3d. 24th. 29th, 80th. The heaviest .&is i~cciirred on the ijth. i n cotinection wit.h a low barometer central. that iuirning. in tht. middle hfissiwippi valley, and on the %th, with low central, n a. m.. in Iuwa. A well-intirked storm-centre crossed the state on the 30th. rhe l.larnnieter gradients nrmnd it were not stee 1, and no great force was de- ;eloped. Snow fell at Miami and Wabash on the 8th. Frosts are reported kin1 central atid southwestern stations on t.he 2d. Sd, Sth, IOth, 11th. Eramination o f the reciirds in Ollr possessicln discovers no steady corres- mndence hetween the temperature of April and succeeding May. or winter and mx-eeding spring. It seems, howe\-er, to I J ~ a pret.ty well established rule that f the de )artore from the nornia.l, ahove or below, is very great, for any limited !eriod, hie de1;artiu-e for the succeeding like period is apt to be in the same MAY, 1883. MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW: 139 direction. As an illnstratiou we hare, at Logansport. wiuter 1~70-1,5~.7 alinve spring 4O.8 above ; winter 18W-7,tio.:3 below, s iring 6O.7 below ; at Spiceland l8i7-8, 7O.O ahore, io.$ above ; 188445, iO.0 bAow, 2 O .5 below - Vevay, 1879 80, SO.5 above, 4O.4 above ; 187%3, 5O.0 below, 1O.2 below. At Logatisport warmest spring, 1860, coldest, 1857 ; Spiceland, 1871, 1857 ; Indiana mlis 1878, 1885 ; Vevay, 1871, 1869. Greatest and leaat precipitation : Spicehd 18t92, 1870 ; Indianapolis, 1880, 1872 ; Vevay, 1885, 187!4. Total wind velocity ; Lafayette, 5,920 miles ; Indianapolis, 4,101 : Greencas tle, 5,258. The following is an extract from the May, 1885, repor of the "Minnesota Weather Service," under direction of Prof W. W. Payne, of Carleton College, Northfield: The mean temperature of May, in Minnesota, has been slightly helow thl normal for nearly all ortioiis of the state, the differences amounting to -I".' at Ihluth, 4 O .6 at ioorhead, -2 O .5 at LaCrosse, and -1O.6 at Saint Pan1 The tem >eratiire from the 1st to 5th was mild in all section*. During thi night of t i e 44th. there was a remarkable fall in temperatnre. aniounti~g a miwt stations to S o , ushering in a cold term which lasted until the 19th. H-igl winds, light snows, frost and ice occurred during the continnance of this coli term, hut because of the backwardness of the spring, little damage was done ti vegetation except to delay its irugress. The uiininiiim teniperatnws for thc nionth were reported at nearly all the stations on the morning of the 7th The teniperatnres at Saint Paul, W .6 , and Lacrosse, 2 9 O .5 , nii that date were the lowest since 1873. After the loth, the temperatnre hecame gradn ally warmer, and vegetation made r:$ progress. The last frostq occnrred ni the 18th and 19th ; that of the latter date was severe in the sonthenst part o the state, causing damage to early vegetables and fruit at Rochester and LI Crosse. Southerly winds prevailed frnm the 20th to the 2:M. with a rapid risc in temperatnre which culminated on the 2311, when the highest mean and mas imum temperatures for the month were observed. From the 24th to the en1 of the month, the weather was mild and eqnahle. Tlie fluctuations of the barnmeter were not marked for May, the highest readings were on the 2d, unrl lowest on the -l--Oth, ani1 13h. The higherr1 reading was 30.25i at Bird Island on the 2d, and lorest 2!1.44:3 at Mllorhettc on the 15th. There was a marked deficiency in the rainfall finr May, thrimglil,iit the state, with the exception of the extreme nnrthwest in the Red River valley. where an excess is complained of. This ileticienq- was greatest in the ceiitral we*t ern art of the state where it amoiuntt.d to from 3 to 3.1; inches. One station, RirY Island, reported only 9.44 inch for the month. In nther parts of the state the rlefinencies ranged frim 1.2 to :3 inches. 'l'helith, ith, lfith, 17th. Sikh. 2lst 23d, 24th and :30th, were the dates of the greatest previpitation. shtwing the rain to hare been well disttibuted, and thw while dehcient io amount, yet of great lienefit ttJ vegetation. Precipitations of .30 of an inch or over w r e observed as tiill~~ws : M~~orliead 1.18 on 15th, and .W on 2:3d : T)ulutli, .54 on tith ; Saint Paul. .XI; on 17th : La C'rosse, 1.W; on lith, .84 mi 24th ; Park Rapids, .5'1 on 24th : WTdena, .!m on 21st, .ti() on 2Yd ; Hastings. .X on tith, .53 cin 16th ; Redwing, .i 4 OII 17th : Uiidge Centre. 1.15 on 2Uth, .?2 t i n 24th ; Northfield. .iiIon lith, .P.i on 24th. The 30th was notable for the nnmher of thnnder storni.r and light rain. which occurred on that date. The following is the May, 18S5, report of the "Mis8ouri Weather Service," under tlie clirectioii of Prof. Francis E. Bipher, Saint Louis : The mean temperatnre during the past month has been somewhat below the norind for May. At the centrid station it \viis tiP.7, which i* 2 O .G helur the normal for Saint Lonis. The highest ten1 wratures dnring the niontli were 01)- ser\ed in the first part of the third decade, generally on the 24th. At Saint Lnnis the maximuni reached was a* high as 9O0.:3. The lowest temperatiires were cihserved i n the latter part ijf the first decade. The cold winds from the nnrthwest nn the 5th and 6th lowerrd tlie tenillera- ture 15O to 2.5' over the whole state in from twenty-four tn thirty-ais hcinrs. The peatest change was at Savannah, !?Do. On the 8th there was white frost i n set ern1 parts of tlie state. on the 7th nnd 10th white frost was also ohserved in some few localities. The records show the following uliservatiiins : Cheenfield, 1111 the Rth, sth, loth, 15th ; Graham, ith, Sth, 9th : C'haiiinis, Sth, Wi, 10th. all tender ve-eta- tion Idled on the morning ofthe 10th : Kirkbville, on the niorning I d thee7th. strawberry t i h g e frozen, h i t frnit not damaged : Pniteni. Sth. !lth. 111th. garden vegetatiiin serioidy inmilired i n 1 the uplands : Mexico. sth, !rth : Han- nibul, grnond frtrzen in enclosed space nn the 7th ; Irnntnn. 10th. 11th : lAes- iwton, frohts un the lst, :rth, loth, 11th ; thin ice on the morning iif the Rth ; Myami, Sth, {Jth, loth, 11th : GIn+griw, Sth, 111th : Orepiin. 211. 7ih. Sth. !all, I9th, no iiijnry done tu fruits ut1 acconnt of dry atniorlhrr : Keolrnk. ith. 10th. The precipitation has bethn pretty. evenly distribnted all over the state, the heaviest being in southwestern inrts. The greater wnrtiim nf the rainfall WIN in the latter IJmt of the month. h i e rainstorm of tke night tlf the 27th did a great deal of damage to crij )s and priqierty in the neighbtirhood nf Bteelville. Snow wa.* observed in difjerent parts of tlie state on tlie lith and ith (Green- field 7th); Irontnn. snow and sleet nn 7th. Notes.--Chamois. wheat brought out somewhat l).v the rains in latter 1mrt uf the month, bot will not tuake ninre than nne-timrth of an average crop. C'Iwn small and uneven, owing to bad weather at111 1,oiir sed. Iiirksville, crups hackward. Protein. cOCn late and small ; cotton good and promising ; wheat will be light. Hnustonia, ontluok for winter wheat poor ; a great deal plowed up aud put in cnrn ; spring wheat good. corn very poor ; ccild, wet weather and poor seed the cause. cihsgiiw, btrawberries fine and p~entifd. glJd crops of small fruits. Rainfall record at Saint Charles incomplete. The corn-crop is generally backward and plJlOr, due to the cool and wet weather, and wheat prospects very poor. The following is an estract from the Nay, 1885, report of the '( Nebraska Weather Service," under direction of Profes- sor Goodwin D. Swezey of Dome College, Crete : The temperature fi,r the month of M y has been below the average by about fonr degrees. In 1 W the month was two degrees cooler than this. hut iu all other years since 1870 it has Leen warmer. Brit one considerable cold wave passed over Nebraska which wa* on the 6th and ith. the therniunieter falling about twenty degree+. This cold ware canie from the northwest. appearing in Dakota on the 5th and disnppearing off Florida on the 9th. Three general storm have- swept arrow the coiintry daring- the month, bringing rain tu Nebraska and passing eastward chiefly over the lake regions ; these were alJiiut the 311, 15th and 29th ; the first and last were here accoui- pnnied by slight rains. the secmond by the heaviest rains of the ninnth. Local rain* also fell un varilms nthrr dates, amounting in all to about 4.69 inches, which is about the normal rainfall for May. The wind recinrd for the tnonth has been low ; so has also the record of hail and thunder-storms. Tlie average of raiu fiw t.lie different sections of the state fiir May, 1885, is as fi>llows : nnrtheart section. 4.4s inches : sodieast section. 4.84 : northwest. sectinn, :3.$d : southwest section, :%I!% ; greatest number of days uf appreeia- ],le precipitation. 12. at Torli. The following is an estract froiu the May, 1885, bulletin of the '6 New England Meteorological Society," under direction of Prof. Winslow Upton, Providence, R. I. : The Rdlosing discurision of' the meteortiliJgica1 cunditinns for the month is based npon reports fi.om one hrindred and t.en observeis, :tiid npon the current puklications nt the United Stntes Si nal Service : U ~~t w t i l Cbrtdifi~it,~.-Tlie mmtf was yeiierally cool. with frequent light rains an11 only a few high winds. Thc ctinditionn \vert! favorable to vegetation. frosts having been few and mristly confined to the early days of the month. A marked pecn1iarit.y of the month was the almost total absence of thunder- stl:~rnis. Ptw@itatina.-The rainfall was generallv less than tlie average. th&igh a few statitms report. an excess. At. t.he niajoi;t.y of stations the amount was dis- tributed t.lirongh the iuontli with approsiniate regularit.y, the rains occnrring at intervals of fonr or five days. The deficiency at t.he soniniit of ?vIount Wash- ington was verv niarkeil, the a.niount. being tlie sniallest on recnrd at. that sta- tion in May. The variation in the rainfall at. Muuirt. Washington, however. is quite large, as shown by cnnilming t.he records of the same month in different rears. During the fourteen Fears of observation. t.lie preciipit.at.ion in May has mngtd from 2.29 inches. i n 1XP.j. to 12.59 inches in 1881. But few illstances nf heavy rains were re soirted. Snow fell at a few stations in tlie northern por- tion of the district. in tbe st&in nf the 1st arid 2d. Hail fell at. ~~illianistnwn, Mansachttsetts, on the 10th ani1 :3lst. T~~,/t~,L.,.nfir,.c.-Tli~ inean temperat.ure of the nionth was in general below t.he average, )Jilt from cnmp:irisinn with records S-~r ilrevioy years at the differ- ent stations t.he results are quite discordant. not a ew observers reportin an excess. There were no extremes of cold and hot frw days of nnusnnlly fiigh tenqlerature. Readings shove W" were recorded at four stations on the 19th. Thus, at Gardi- ner. Maine. the highitst mil lowest. readings ( reihiced bo sea-level) were :30.29 and 2!1.59: at Elne Hill, :W.NI aid 29.58. and Albany, New Tork, :W.27 and trict tn affevt t.he niefeoroli~gical con( itlotla. he hrst advanced from the ;;nutliwest. and was centr:d at C'ape (lad on t.he Pil. It was accoiupanied IJY general rain and violent winds. The secnnd was a light depressiou on t.he Carolina coast nn the 7th. which was attended I J ~ rain in t.he sonthem 1iiJrtiun. The third ndranced down the Saint 1.awrence valley 0 1 1 the 19th. the rains being Teneral. The tiiurth mover1 np the Atlantic coast on t.he 14th and 16th, wholly heywid the coast-hie. hit cansing general r:th and high winds on the coast. rhe titlh moved frtini the lske regia-in ea9tward t n hhine 011 the 1Sth and 19th, siiil was attended I J ~ gener:iI mitis. The sixth was a de ) the lalie region east.ward to ova scotia :is the ninntli cti iiect.eil with t.his depressiiun \vas general, and is ~iai-tly included in May aud Iiartlv in June. Local rains. esliecially in thtr northern >ortion of the district, -wctr;wd i n coiitiectinu with the RIW of high presswe w iich follrtaed the fifth :le ire-sion nientioned ahove. \f*~da.-rI'he winds were light. except in connection with the first and fourth ,Irlwasions mentioned ahove. The highest. honrly velilcit.ies reported were : ?