 During its time as a meteorological station , the observatory collected reports from 312 observation stations in Canada and another 36 in the United States . Each station was equipped with a " <unk> <unk> , two <unk> ( a maximum and a minimum <unk> ) , an <unk> to measure the velocity of the wind , a Wind <unk> and a Rain <unk> " . Reports were sent in coded form to the Observatory at 8 am and 8 pm every day , Eastern Standard Time ( then known as " 75th meridian time " ) , and used to produce a chart predicting the weather for the following 36 hours . These predictions were then <unk> across the country , and charts were distributed to newspapers and the Board of Trade , where they could be viewed by the public . With the installation of telephones , the Observatory also offered weather reports on demand , which was an important service to fruit <unk> , who used the reports to plan shipping . 
