Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1878-06-08
Missouri Weather Service.

May 1873, was cloudy and very cool, but not
u wet month. It's mean temperature was 81 =,
about - below the average. and only - above
that OF April, which was IS y, while the usual
difference is 10. o.. The mean temperature of the
first 20 days Of May was 81 %, which, it VIII be
observed, was lower than that of April. The
mean temperature of ID days 18th 10 22d) was
Gig which Is exactly the normal for a pril. and
the mean temperature Of 10 days 18th to Isth)
was rs low rs 81 90. The highest temperature
observed was 81 n! on the 2Srd, while it Will be
noticed that often In May the thermometer marks
above 90. In 1886 on the lith, in 1870. and again
In ISL the temperature was ~ o.. During the
month just passed we had only S days on which
stood between 700 and 81. .: and 10 below 20. U
but above 20 o.. There were 6 DAYS when the
west temperature noted fell below Is. %, and
the lowest temperature recorded was -. o. on the
Eth But although the point of freezing was
not indicated by the thermometer, yet white
frosts and even thin ice were observed 3 times
VIZ On the I'd, ufh and 10th in Gertain,iocalities.
slight damage was done 10 gardens, but none to
fruit.
The amount Of rain WAS below the average by
ABOUT one and one-half inches, but oil the &c
inches that fel, 60 occurred on the 18th, SO that
IL VIII De seen that the remainder fell in rather
i!ght showers since there were IA days on which
An "lpreciable amount of rain fell. 1t may be
mentioned Us a mere curiosity, that we had Il
snow II slight trace hut still very perceptihle, on
the night Of the Goth. The thunlrrs:orms were
fewer than the average, and we had no wind
sturnIs during the month.
The ciouilness Of the month was above the
average by nearly Il fourth, and the number Of
cloudy days were s, whites is the usual average.
The clear days Were :; IL being the average, and
the partially cloudy days were 1917 being the
usual number.
The winds We're. ilrst in frequency 5. next T..
next w. neNt>. f. and y. E., and then y.
The remarkable Improvement in the appear
ance of the growing wheat crop, with the at
tendhnt circumstances, aids us somewhat IN eN-
planning It's condition during the latter part OF
April and the first OF May. The warm winter
aud spring. Together with the excessive moisture
Of the earth. had stimulated its growth very
greatly. From the 18th Of April to the lith of
May. only . inches of rain fell. which. with the
want of pulvcrizatiOn oil the soil by freezing
during the previous winter, led to a thorough
''bakins'' oi the surface orthe ground. From the
18th TO the 18th OF May near 2is inches of rain
fell, ami n rapid Improvement of the wheat fol-
lowed. Now | am well satisfied that the ex-
I'd no little 10 this result. Wheat is a plant that
delights III II cool climate. Heat is not needed
for lis growth, but is essential to its pericct ma
turity. Our wheat crop Was pushed too rapidly
toward maturity, IN advance OF its growth. but
the cool weather in May I'D the effect ofrctari-
ing maturity, and promoting growth. Had Nav
been a hot month. wheat would have been rire
10y thu iirst OF June. but so low and indifferent
As TO be not worth cutting. But the rains and