Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-11-19


Report to the Secretary Of the Smithsonian Institution
by LoRIN BLoDGET, Assistant in charge of the Meteoro
logical Department.
The United States as WHOLE and the planting States
particularly feel very directly the relation of the
great agricultural producing interests to the
climate of any district and very sensitive to the
gularities and extremes which are in every year.
or less conspicuous in portion Of the country The
prompt statement of these extremes for any season. and
general comparison Of their practical effects would have
decided value in business and commerce, if their
be made sufficiently clear and precise to be
liable.
The country subject to these changes of climate and
their consequent losses and fluctuations is great in
extent for uniformity Of condition through any period
affecting the~summer growths though possibly greas
enough, have much believe to equaze
or compensate extreme eeqsx far prevent any
considerable difference for the whole in yOars
No staple except perhaps the sugar crop is limited to
district that uniformity of effect be expect
ed from any season. and single statement from one
locality, therefore, be conclusive for the whole
With the facilities at present existing in the meteoroo-
gca system of the Smithsonian Institution for defining
these extremes of climate for any month or season. and
for nstutng comparison in definite measures, which
would greatly aid correct deduction by the business in
terests Of the country, both near and distant it
seems worth effort fix these conditions far
may be done and thus add the share which science and
observation in their present state may furnish to de-
finite knowledge on this subject.
The mean temperature of any month of the growing
season is in our climates very direct measure of its
comparative productyeness with the usual supply of rain
Single extremes of temperature less important in
their influence the productive character of season,
unless reaching FROST and in any easily defined
and capable of prompt statement of the precise degree Of
their Importance In England greater uniformity
lists in temperature yet depression to the minimum of
the monthly for any month in the growing season
fails to produce injurious effects and is often dis
asrous TO important staples We have here far greater
range Of temperature in the Of successive months
and have greater contrasts also in various districts
The extremes of climate and their effects all more
signal here in the localities which bound them than in
England and Eastern Europe. Vegetable growths are
therefore irregular and variable, and any
may present conditions temperature amount
of rain in any direction, and any month may do SO
even more decsiyey this diversity of districts renders
great caution necessary in drawing differences of gene
raj character The injurious extreme of month may
be compensated by an opposite in the next the
local injury or absolute destruction in district
may be relieved by profusion in adjoining district
which would break the force Of its effect the general
market.
The real injury which industrial interests sustain
from these is considerable in every year, but it is
felt less than would be elsewhere from the elasticity Of
our economical and social condition.
1t is important in any case, to know and as
definitely as may be- what the Of the pecuar
ties and extremes of any is and what may be the
reasonable inferenccs or eject ths great Agricultural
staples Apprehensions may often be dsspated in this
way and unfortunate provided against in time
prevent in business aud changes In prices
each Of which is injurious beyond the original calamity
in the degree Of precpitancy and Misrepresentation at
tending it.
The effort to accumulate and apply the statistics to this
purpose cannot least be without effect in direct
ing attention to precise statements and to the value Of
climatic observation The observed temperatures,
the extremes Of temperature and the quantity Of rain
for each Of the growing months Of the past season viii
be given with such comparisons Of these with the
slant mean as may be possible from observations pre-
viOusy made in the general locality. The measure
of these differences which vegetation ultimately gives
really more precise than may appear and corresponds
very nearly to the Of instrumental
The usual vague Of general single extremes
little be depended upon without comparison and yer
fcation. These extremes rarely decisvey local
that this comparison may be made however and such
contrasts and comparisons important in the pre-
sent purpose will be given at length.
The tabular statements OF temperatures and
amount Of rain given from sufficient number Of sta
ons to permit an independent examination and the
rection Of mistaken points if they occur.
The first three months Of the year scarcely included
in this general purposes unless distinguished by unusual
severity Of some feature Of climate they have little nu
cultivation and only partial control any Of
its interests For the present year neither Of the first
three months had any extraordinary character they
were generally somewhat above the mean temperature
and with few Of cold In March the rains
heavy at the South Otherwise the precipitation entire
amount Of water falling in rain and snow for the three
months was Of the usual quantity and quite equally dis
tributed
In April there was deficiency Of rain and somewhat
injurious drought in Maine the usual in Ver-
mont, and much above the usual amount in Massachu-
sets Rhode Island and Connecticut In the interior Of
New York there was the usual amount and an excess in
Central and Western Pennsylvania and along the more
elevated and western portions Of the States south as far
as North Caroisa On the plain Of the Atlantic coast
the usual amount fell to point about far south but
the quantity suddenly fell OF in South Carolina to a very
slight amount, and in some portions Of Georgia and
Florida there during the month. In the re-
naming States south Of Tennessee the amount was small
usually less than half the average In Tennessee Ken
tucky, and Ohio the greater than usual in
some degree; in Michigan about twice the average In
Indiana and Illinois the usual fe with q
great excess in Iowa and Wisconsin
In May continued excessively dry at the South in the
same districts affected in April, with slight exception
just tho Atlantic coast The distribution was much
49, l.a- =