Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1844-01-17
.AGRlCULTURAL.
From the american Agrieulturist.
INDICATIONS OF WEATHER.


"Dost thou know the balancings of til
clouds? Out of the south conlelh th
+ whirlwind: fair weather and cold, OUT Q
the norlh."-Job.
"Whenit is evening, ye say, il will b
fair weather, forth sky is red and in tn
morning. il will be foul weather TO day
for The sky is red and lowering ."-Matt.
When &c see cloud rise out Of tn
west, slrailway ye say there cometh ;
shower; and so it is. And when ye Sc,
The south wind blow, ye say, 'hero will b.
heat; and come'h to pass."-Luke.
We have high authority for predictin;
the weather from the appearance of tht
sky, and it is certain thar this has been s
! leading fancy in all ages and climes. In
deed. so important is a foreknowlcdge o
the approaching weather, especially to the
husbandman, that he may well sland ex.
cused for paying very close attention lo
its indications. These are afforded mol
only from the appearance of the sky, and
the wind, but also by the habits of the lar
ger animals, birds, fish, reptiles, and in
secis and how often by the feelings ofthe
human system, as the shooting from a
corn, chronic wound, or rheumatic pains,
when an east wind sighs throush the
trees and how elastic aud bounding do the
spirits rise when fresh northwest comes
booming along from the arctic?
The moon, TOO, has full share Of influ-
euce assigned her in changing the face Of
the sky, and varying the range Of the Their
momeier. II has been estimated that a
new moon, when she exerts her Influence
on the earthin conjunction with the sun,
The chances ola change in the weather are
as z 10 l.; when in her first quarter, 80 de-
grees distant from the sun; aud when full
and in opposition TO the sun, The chances of
change are as S 10 2; and when in her
third quarter, as 5 tod In perigee, when
nearest the earth, The chances are z 10 l !;
and in apoSee, or at the greatest distance,
as d 10 L. That the moon should have
some influence in producing changes in
our atmosphere, is very probable: 1t is
certain she causes the tides by her atlrac-
ton; and il is equally certain, that she pro-
duces tides in the atmosphere, which must,
have some effect on the weather. But
what the effect is precisely, who can tell !?
Where s1he manual that points out her
influence with any certainty? and of the
thousand and one moon-slruck philoso-
pliers, who are constantly gazing on her
placid faccT which one of lhem,all, has re-
duced his observations to certainty or
method? We may safely let the moon
attend TO her own affairs, while wc look
for some more certain harbiugers ofchange.
These signs are in every body's mouth,
though a majority Of them are fallacous.
We have room only to notice some of the
most prominent aud besi authenticated.
1t may be stalled as a philosophic fact,
'ha, any general change from extreme heat
to cold, unless caused by strong north
wind, produces rain. The result is based
ON Tue soundest principles Of science. For
the warm air takes up a large amount Of
wafer in he shape of aerial vapor, and
this quantity, whenthe heat is al $50 degs.
Fahr., nearly equals 120 the weight ol
the atmosphere. When the temperature
falls 10 so degs., The air can hold but LIS,
so that nearly I of all The acqueous vapor
before suspended .mnsl fall to he earth.-
This effect is briefly and Unexpectedly fore
told in The sublimely beautiful bursting oI
the thundcr-cloud; as It rolls rapidly over
our heads on sultry summers day. -
Electricity is the disturbing cause here,
which by suddenly lowering the high tenn.
peralure of The air, compels it to let 90 o
large portions Of water il had distracted
from the surface below, which now comes
pelling down, like nohcn bullets from The
sky. In general an east wind will bring q
storm, and especially one from the south.
east gu,l south. This is rendered more
probable when the wind increases consid'
erably, by this means condeusing the at.
mosphere, and compelling il 10 part with
a portion Of its vapor. Variable winds
produce rain; il also follows hoar frost
A rainbow in The morning lor,ells rain ir
the course oflhe day; SO too; does distan
thunder heard al thai time. When a storm
clears of in the night, rain may soon bt
expected. There are many appearance!
of The winds and clouds, which TO eagle
eyed observers, as mariners, fishermen
aud shcppards; whose situations compe
them TO close observance Of nature, fo
their own protection, are SO plain tha
they can hardly he mistaken; butlhese arr
in most cases local, and SO dependant OF
seasons and other cirt umstances, as hardly
10 Justify recording.
| In general, wien animals are careful il
providing themselves with good shelter ant
warm nests, storm may be expected
and when they are seen Indifferent 10 lhei
protection, fine weather may be anticipa
led. Sheep, gamboling in ,heirs pasture
foretcll change; and when they lie ou
openly on some exposed knoll, fair wealth
er may be confidently predicted. In will
animals, these indications are mnch NOR
distinct and unerring, as they are habilua
led to rely on their instincts, while the al
! ,iicial, domesticated brute, has been taugt
, 10 depend almost solely on the reason Q
i his master Yetlhe hog, one of the mo: