Arizona weekly citizen., 1891-10-31
WEATHER REPORT.
Mr.. Hayden Tells of the Bureau
Workings.
Tucson. Ariz.. Oct. u. 1901.

TUCSON, AriZ., Oct. q, 1891.
Report of work performed Since July
LIST, 1891.
On July LIST, the weather bureau be-
came part of the department Of Agri
culture and was re organized with a
view Of carrying out the expressed in
tention of congress to especially develop
and extend its work in the interest o.
agriculture, state and territorial weather
services were organized in Arizona, CAL
ifornia, Florida, Georgia, Montana New
Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah,
Virginia, Washington, West Virginia
and Wyoming. Thus every state and
territory IN the Union is represented ex-
cept Idaho. A marked improvement is
also observed in the force of volun-
tary observers. At the time of the
change there were IN operation less than
1900 voluntary stations, while at this
date there are nearly $500. Reports
from voluntary observers serve two
fold purpose:
For agricultural societies and expert
ment stations giving them accurate me
teorlogIcal dada on,which to rely in deal
ing with experiments on negotiations; and
the reports of rainfall. temperature d
sunshine are utilized weekly IN the
weather-crJp bulletins which are given
wide dissemination, ard are used in
various ways IN establishing the clImat-
ology of sections, and as records for
courts, physicians, engineers and Others
The issue of weekly crop bulletins
furnished reliable grounds for estlmat-
ing the condition of crops In an, county,
state or the Country at large, wien En-
Sous receiving them follow them VI
from week to week. But the one great
feature OF tie wO:E IA the Issuing or
''cold wave" and "irusL warning" tels-
grams, whereby warning is given farm
ers and crop growers in time TO protect
fields of tender plants from harm. In
years past when the weather Ser
vice was bat recently organized
the possibilities Of making accurate fore
casts of the weather was frequently G.
rided, Today crop growers through, ut
the country place firm reliaI Co IN the
weather forecasts made by observers in
different parts of the country. The
experience has taught them that IN bIne
cases out of ten the predictions are in.
fallible. Indeed the percentages OF yer
ification of forecasts are IN many cases
nearly hundred per cert.
Science is progressing with the march
OF time, and good estimate can be
made of the value of these weather
warnings by referring to warning of a
killing frost issued to four of the west
central counties of the state OF Wiscon
sin on August a, which rt suited N the
saving of over ore third of the
cranberry crop, representing over
s125,0O0. by flooding the fields,
whereas the remainder was de
stroyed, owing to no facilities to pro-
tect it, Frost warnings were issued in
Minnesota and the Dakotas during the
current year to protect the grain, AID
little or no damage resulted where fan N
ers used smudges to cover the fiei1s
with dense smoke.
The appropriation for the present year
is insufficient to allow the tsiegIal hing
Of cold wave and frost warning messages
to greater mum Der of places than are
now receiving them. Where parties are
willing to raise a fnnd among them
selves to purchase the necessary wealth
or display flags and bear the expease of
telegraphIng the messages the govern
ment will furnish the forecasts. Cir
culars explaining these flags Can be had
by addressing the director or the wealth
or bureau Tucson, whose desire is TO
promote the usefulness Of this service
in Arizona. j. G. HAYDEN.
Director weather bureau.