Michigan Weather Service

The question of the amount (f the acnual rai".-fall has beoome of such importance to the agricultural interest?, that many farmers are keepfng daily records of the amount of raih-fal1. The reports published by th.e United States service at Lansing, show that there has been an average monthly deficiency in rain-fall, from March lst to July 31st, of or.e inch, or over five inches for the entire period. The importance of knowing how much rain has fallen will be realized wben it is considered that one-tenth of an inch of rainfall corresponds to a deposit of about 40 hogsheads per acre, and of how much benefit a shower will be to the crops The state Weather Service, to eetablish the annual precipitation for the state and to aidthe farmers in ascertaining the rainfall of their farms, makes the following propoeitions : To each farmer who will purchase a rain-gauge, the service will furnish all necessary blanks for recording the amount of rain -f all, the time of commencement and ending of rain-storms, and will publish each report furnished this office in thé Monthly Weather Review, where it can be easily consulted for comparison. The rain-gauges will be furnished for $1.25, the exact coat at the manufactory in New York. The gauge consists of copper funuel l inches deep and 3 inches in diameter, and this funnel sits in a brass tube or reservoir, one inch in diameter and ten inches long. The whole is in closed in a galvanized ;ron overflow receiver. The gauges are í-trong and can not be easily injured. The value of knowing the monthly and annual rain fall of any locality in the state, for agricultural purpofes, is too well known by the fatmers to enlarge on this subject now, acd the Michigan Weaiher Service places this matter before the farmers of Michigan, in the belief that the mutual benefits to be derived wil! cause each farmer to obtain a gauge at the earliest date.