MYSORE DIVISION.
53
The following table shows the mean results for each quarter of the year under report :—
Quarter.
Barometer
reduced to
32°T
hermometer.
Humi-
dity.
Sun's
rays in
Vacuo.
Mini-
mum on
Grass.
Wind.
Rain,
Inches.
No. of
Rainy
Days.
Daily
Mean.
Observed
Extremes.
Velocity.
Dry. Wet.
Maxi-
mum.
Mini-
mum.
First
...
...
26.967
72.2 60.3
86.4 59.5
52
150.3
55.1
60
1.04
6
Second
...
...
26.858
78.9 69.8 91.3 70.3
66
151.3
68.1
121
7.45
26
Third
...
...
26.873
72.7
67.4
83.5 65.9
78
143.6
65.0
196
7.56
35
Fourth
...
...
26.979
70.8
62.0
82.5
60.9
62
146.9
58.2
46
1.30
6
Means and Sums
...
26.919
73.6
64.9
85.9 64.1
64
148.0
61.6
106
17.35
73
Accurate meteorological observations are registered only at Bangalore and Bellary. The
observations for Bangalore are submitted reduced by the Government Astronomer and tabulated
for comparison with former years ; those for Bellary are submitted unreduced. Taking the
observations recorded at Bangalore, the most important features are the diminished rainfall
of the past and previous year, and the consequence of this want of rain has been widespread
famine.
The rainfall in 1875 amounted to 22 inches 60 cents, and in 1876 to 17 inches 35 cents,
whereas the average for the years, 1872, 1873 and 1874 was 42 inches. From this deficiency of rain
the mean temperature was higher than during the four previous years, and the temperature of the
wet bulb much lower. The maximum temperature was higher and the amount of watery vapour
in the atmosphere considerably less than in former years. The solar heat registered in vacuo was
higher than it had been, amounting to as much as 20 degrees in excess of the year 1872 and 14
and 16 in excess of the years 1873 and 1874. The minimum on grass was about the average
of former years. The range of temperature has been greater than generally prevails.
The characteristics of the south-west monsoon were observable in the diminished pressure
and the increased humidity of the atmosphere in the second and third quarters of the year, and
the greatly increased velocity of the wind during the same period. The rainfall, although much
below the average during the south-west monsoon, was still more scanty than usual in the first and
fourth quarters, rain having fallen only on 12 days in the north-east monsoon, amounting in the
second quarter to 2 inches 34 cents, which is less than in average seasons may be expected in the
month of March only. The lowest temperature was registered in the first quarter and the highest
in the second quarter of the year.
During my tour of inspection in Mysore and the Ceded Districts, lately concluded, I had
ample opportunities of observing the condition of the country through which I travelled at an
a v e r a g e r a t e o f 2 ½ mi l e s a n h o u r . Ex c e p t i n t h e i mme d i a t e v i c i n i t y o f we l l s , o r wh e r e i r r i g a t i o n
works exist, as around Seringapatam in Mysore and at Kurnool, Nundial and Cumbum in the
Kurnool District, the whole aspect of the country was brown and burnt up; not a blade of grass
or green thing to be seen. The tanks were dried up, and their beds ploughed and tilled in the
hope that some moisture might still remain in the soil. The wells were, in many instances, in
the same waterless state, and the inhabitants were trying to obtain a little water by deepening
them, or by sinking others in more likely spots. Half-starved cattle straggled listlessly about,
endeavoring to pick up a scanty and precarious subsistence from the barren inhospitable soil.
In the emphatic language of scripture the earth was iron and the heaven brass.
Year 1876.
Reading of Baro-
meter.
Temperature of Air.
M e a n o f D r y B u l b . M e a n o f W e t B u l b .
Rain. Wind.
Remarks.
M e a n f o r Y e a r .
H i g h e s t i n Y e a r .
L o w e s t i n Y e a r .
Range. H i g h e s t i n Y e a r . L o w e s t i n Y e a r . Range. M e a n f a l l H i g h e s t .
M e a n f a l l L o w e s t .
Range.
A p p r o x i m a t e M e a n i n Y e a r .
N o . o f D a y s i t f e l l .
A m o u n t c o l l e c t e d .
G e n e r a l D i r e c t i o n . E s t i m a t e d S t r e n g t h .
Mean ...
...
28.499 28.599 28.395 .213 94.9 64.9 35.1
93.7
7 0 . 3
27.3 67.6 82.1 66.1 36 7.25 Var. 169
The meteorological returns for Bellary are not as full as those of Bangalore.
The most important phenomenon of the year is the diminished rainfall, amounting to only
7 inches 21 cents, the average of former years being 16 to 25 inches. The maximum heat
registered appears to have very little exceeded former years, but the minimum temperature has
been lower, giving a greater annual range of the thermometer than the average ; and this has
been noticed above in reference to Bangalore.
14