Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-07-18
THE SPRING OF 1885.
by J. II. AIexan der. M. ID.

The spring of 1885 was quite cool
and wet. The meal temperature was
1879 which was 3.3 degrees below the
average, giving us the coolest spring
in 8 years with the exception of that
of 1884, which was one-tenth Of a de-
gree cooler. The highest temperature
was $40 on the 31st of May and this
was the only day when the mercury
rose above 80. It. did not reach TO 80
in 1884. 1t will be seen by the table
below that the average number of days
below 80 is 10, and 20 have been OBJ
served twice, viz: in 1879 and 1880, the
only two year. of the series of 8 that
gave a temperature above go. The
lowest temperature was 12.0 OIL the 18th
March. A lower temperature than this
has been observed, and it is remarka-
BILE that the two years mentioned above,
1879 and 1880, both warm springs as
to mean temperature, gave verylOw tenn
perature, viz: 9.5 and 6.5, each occur
ring about the middle of March. The
number of days when the temperature
(the average being 1S) which was only
CACccuCu l. 1CO1 WHICH, thO huLAoS
amounted to 3S. The lowest tempera-
ture of the spring of that year which
was 1910 occurred the lst of April.
There were three days when the tenn
perature renamed below the freezing
point all day, this being the normal
average.
The interval between the last occur
renee Of a temperature of 80 degrees
to its recurrence this spring, was from
Oct. z to May 81, a period of 236 days.
The interval between the last occur
renee OF ~ degrees and its first recur-
renee this spring was 167 days.
The mercury fell to 81 degrees for
the first time on the 9Th OF last No
vember; and the last time this was OBJ
served was April Is, a period of 159
days. The first hoar frost cen last
fall was Oct. 8; the last this spring was
May ~, giving an interval of PA days.
Rain fall. The amount of rain and
melted snow was 1929 inches, the av-
erage of 8 years being S.62. Of this
amount March gave O.42, April $50,
and May 4.67, throwing nearly all of
this large amount upon the two months
Of the season most important to the
agriculturist. 1t will be seen in the
table that 1882 furnished over 10 inch
es, but the spring OF 1885 exceeds that
Of any other year in this series as to
amount of rain.
There were 80 rainy days including
snow, which only fell once to the depth
of Ii inches. There was one hail
storm, and thunder and lightning were
noted on 16 days
Winds-The prevailing winds were
south 50 times, north SO times, south
west Al times, and west and east each
40 times. The southerly winds exceed
ed the northerly in the proportion OF
ITO to So.
Cloudiness-This was 4.6 computed
on a scale of 10, and this is the usual
average. There were % clear days
which is the average number 20 cloudy
days, one less than the average, and
A partially cloudy. one more than the
average, only one day without u
shine, 5 being the average for spring
Crops, &c.-The winter proved more
disastrous to wheat than was at first
anticipated 20 that the crop is below
one-half. Flowing was greatly delayed
by the excessive rains, and the corn
was planted rather late, and imperfect
Iy cultivated while young, SO that we
cannot anticipate a large yield. Grass
and hay are unusually fine. Peaches,
apricots and tender cherries were win
ter killed. Small fruits were remark
ably fine and yielded abundantly.
Pears and hardy cherries promise a full
crop. Apples will afford a moderate
crop.
All Vegetation was behind time this
season. The blooming of the locust
which is perhaps the best guide in corn
planting, took place May %. In 1888 it
bloomed on the 10th and in 1880 on the
9TH. The strawberry and the raspber-
ny were late in ripening, and all other
noted occurrences in the vegetable
world were markedly later than usual.
TUE last EIcuT sppJNCs