Box 14, Folder 4: Climate

Trans Wis Aq. Soc

305

1850 - 51

1851

CLIMATE OF WISCONSIN.

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The following TABLES OF METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS will exhibit, in some degree, the peculiarities of the Climate of this State. It is not proposed to write an Essay on this important subject, based upon these Tables-indeed the short time since they were made does not admit of it; nor is one year by any means sufficient for this purpose. Such observations should be extended over the whole State, so as to cover every variety of local circumstances, and be continued sufficiently long to cover every possible change of season. Each reader is requested to compare these Tables, one with another, and the whole with similar Tables made in other localities. By such comparison many very important and interesting facts will be deduced.

The Society invites all who are engaged in these pursuits to contribute the results annually for publication, believing that they will thus, in a few years, accumulate a mass of information from which all that is desirable in regard to our climate may be obtained, and made the basis of a future Essay on the subject.

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METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR THE YEAR 1851,

Made at MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN. Latitude 43o 03' 45" N. Longitude 87o 57' W. Elevation of the Cistern of the Barometer above Lake Michigan, 15 feet; above the Atlantic Ocean, 593 feet. By I. A. LAPHAM.

[Meteorological Data for 1851]

* Entire clearness, being 1,000.

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ABSTRACT OF A METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL

Kept at BELOIT COLLEGE, BELOIT, WISCONSIN, for the Year 1851. Latitude 42o 30' 23" N. Longitude 12o 03' 20" W. from Washington. Elevation above Lake Michigan, 172 feet; above the Ocean, 750 feet. By S. PEARL LATHROP, M. D. Professor of Chemistry and Natural History.

[Meteorological Data]

The mean temperature of the past year is 47o.895, being a little above that of the year 1850, which was 47o.200.

The mean temperature of the winter months of 1850-51, is 27o.43; of the spring months of this year, 46o.70-being 3o.62 higher than the temperature of the same months in the year 1850. The temperature of the summer months is 67o.64-being 3o.86 lower than the temperature of the same months in the year 1850. The temperature of the autumnal months is 50o.45-being .88 of a degree above the temperature of the same months of the previous year.

The average density of the atmosphere, as indicated by the barometer, 29.339 inches-is a trifle greater than in the year 1850, it being for that year 29.27 inches, when corrected, by adding the decimal .64; which by comparison with one of Green's barometers-the kind now used, and recommended by the Smithsonian Institute-is found to be the true amount of correction necessary for the barometer then in use.

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The observations have been made as last year, at the hours required by the Smithsonian Institute, viz.: Sunrise, 9 A.M., 3 P.M., and 9 P.M.

The amount of rain and melted snow for the year is 55.90 inches; being 4.66 inches more than in the year 1850, though the amount for that year was more than is thought to be the annual average. This amount, as will be seen by the table above, was not very equally distributed through the year--being for the month of May, 15.46 inches; and for the month of August, 9.85 inches; while for the month of March, it was only .55 of an inch; and for the month of November, 1.63 inches.

The rains in the month of May occurring mostly in the latter part of the month; amounting on the last day of the month to 4.5 inches, raised the Rock River to a great height, causing a flood which did great damage, carrying off animals, bridges, and dams.

The amount of snow which fell in the winter of 1850-51, was greater than in the winter previous, being about 15 inches; but was so equally distributed through the winter, as to afford but little sleighing.

The past year is considered usually productive, though some of the crops were greatly injured. The spring was very backward, more so even than the year before, though the temperature was a little higher. The heavy rains of May greatly delayed the planting of the corn, on which account it was at first feared that there would be but a small crop; but the mild fall, and the delay of hard frost, gave time for the corn to ripen, and become a good crop.

The yield of grass was very heavy. The wheat was comparatively a failure; much of the spring wheat, especially the hedge-row, being greatly injured by the blight. Hundreds of acres were not harvested. The winter wheat, and some kinds of spring wheat, however, did usually well, furnishing a great abundance beyond what is necessarily consumed. The crop of oats was very heavy. The potatoe was very light, not being injured so much by the rot as by the blight; a kind of indefinite term, by-the-by, given to some cause which seems to elude the search of the agriculturalist. Some portions of the State, it is understood, being almost destitute of this important vegetable.

Some farmers in this region have commenced the raising of flax, which gives a profitable yield, and is destined to be a crop of much importance, both on account of the seed and stalk.

The fact can but be fully impressed upon the mind of every observant person, that most, if not all, of the difficulties which attend the labors of the husbandman in our State would be entirely removed, were a better, a more thorough and faithful system of culture introduced.

No farmer in New England, or even in the fruitful State of New York, would have the temerity to expect a crop from so lax a system of culture. The con

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science of a New England farmer, practicing upon such a system, would harass him with a certain looking for of rust, mildew, and blight. In a country where a farmer will remove the place of his barn-yard, in order to get away as easily as possible from the accumulated manure; or, when this cannot be done, will cast it out into the street, or some gully, where the water shall wash it away as far as possible from his domain, nothing else other than a failure of crops ought to be expected.

What fruit has been introduced into the country did well the past year, and has kept up its good promise for the future. In some instances apple, as well as other fruit trees, have suffered from the blight; some grapes were injured by the frost while in the blossom, but those later in flowering did finely.

Garden vines were greatly injured by the heavy rains in the spring; some being entirely drowned out, while others rotted at the roots.

There was no flowering of plants the second time, observed, as last year, aside from the case mentioned in the Calendar, on December 10th.

The Cantharis Cinerea, which has made its appearance here in increasing numbers for the few previous years, was not observed to any amount. Neither was anything heard of the Chinck-bug, so troublesome the last two years in the northern counties of Illinois.

There have been, during the past year, some heavy storms of electric fluid, particularly in the month of May, frequently striking buildings and other objects elevated to much extent above the ground; thus showing the great importance of protecting buildings, greatly exposed as they are on the prairies, by proper lightning rods.

The prevailing winds have been as last year-north-west and north; though we have quite frequent and strong winds from the south-west.

There was a violent wind on the 30th of May, which did some damage by unroofing buildings, removing fences, &c., though its track, as it passed this place, was quite narrow, being but a few rods in width. Its general course was from south-west to the north-east. The law of rotation of the winds-from the north to the east; then south, south-west, west, &c., mentioned in the last year's abstract-seems to be the one generally followed, though not always, as far as capable of observation.

CALENDAR.

January 2d, Morning, meteor in the N. E.-16th, the Thermometer fell from 35o at sunrise, to 3o at 9 P. M. Tulips and Narcissus above ground; Humble Bee seen flying about.-30th, Coldest day in the year, Thermometer averaging 11o below zero.

February 23rd, Severe storms of thunder and lightning, with rain, in the night.