Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-09-08
AGRICULTURAL.
LIEUT.. MAURY AND THE FARMERS.

LIEUT.. MAURY AND THE FARMERS
We believe it is generally admitted that The
discoveries and labors of Lieut.. Maury, in dis.
covering the laws which govern the winds anC
currents Of the ocean, are now Of greater i'm.
portance to the commercial world than the dis
coveries Of any other individual within the
present century. Lieut.. NJ, now proposes ,C
render a service to the farmers, with their aid
and cooperation, which ultimately can hardl,
prove second to that which he has secured Il
the mariner.
We hope, that, when the proper time ar.
rives, there will not be a county in the whole
Union where one individual cannot be found to
extend his aid in an enterprise of such vast
importance and magnitude.
When the blank tables are prepared, the Ia
bor of recording the necessary observations
will be but small matter
The following correspondence will SHOW the
plan proposed
METEoRoLoGY FOR THE FARMERS.
BY LIEUT.. MAuRY, U. s. N.
OBSERVATORY, Washington, June IS, '55.
To the Editors of the American Farmer.
GENTLEMEN ] am much obliged 10 you for
your favor of the 9th inst. You are right; !
uld not Intend 10 conilne the appeal to the farm
eis 10 any Pent-up otica' intend to make
it as broad as the land
lou ASK ior lhe plan oil cooperation. II Is
very simple, and calls on the farmers for little
more than good will.
hrs' want au'hotny 10 take Inc preiImina-
~ steps, ana 10 confer with other meteorolo-
g's,S anu men OF science al home and abroad,
WIN 'he view oil establishing uniform system
VI ','e'eo,eloeieai OF ser'aions Tor the land, as
we nave uone lot me sea:
any oihcer Of ire Government were au-
'hor'%eu 70 say 10 inc farmers, as have TO the
saiiors-here Is the form OF meteorological
Journal' SHOWS you the observations that are
"u"'eu' uie hours al which they are 10 be made;
Neiis WHAT Instruments are required, and how
'"ey "io !" oe useu take II, furnish tue Gov-
V'""'e"' WIN the OBSERVATIONS and IN return
'he Government VIII discuss them, and give
you copy oil Inc results when pnbllshed-he
"ouiu nave al once and without cost volun-
aeer corps OF observers that would furnish him
wa" a" '"e ua'a requisite ior complete study
vi o''n agricultural ana sanitary meteorology.
Such an oner 10 the sailor has enlisted
co'Ps Vi observers LOT the sea, by whose CO.
oPe'a'on fesui'S tue mosi important and valu-
auie, anu as unexpected as valuable, have been
'oo'aihed.
"ouiu MOI al least one farmer be found on
t'e average LOT every county IN every State
,ha' would giadiy undertake The observations !
don't think there would be any difficulty on
tllat score. Sailors have been fonnd n dn as
much Tor every part ofthe sea--on the average,
Ten observers Tor State would be sufficient
NOW IL we could get the English Govern
meni, and the French Government and the
RUSSIAN Government, and the other Christian
STATES ooih oil the Old World and the New TO
40 me same by their farmers, we shall have
"e "no'e surface oil our planet covered with
meteorological observers acting in concert, and
elcitlng from nature, under all varieties of
climate and circumstance, answers to the same
questions, and that too at no other expense than
what each Government should choose 10 incur
ioi 'ne discussion and publication OF the obser-
Va'lons mat are made by its own citizens or
subjects.
What is wanted in system of observations
ike this is uniformity. Hence cooperation
an agreement to observe the same things at the
the same tmes-is essential to anything like
success We want not only corresponding OBJ
serva'lons as to the time, but we want them
made with Instruments that are alike, or that
can be compared and then we may expect to
md out something certain and valuable con-
corning the movements Of this grand and beau
iiul machine called the atmosphere.
Suppose pretentiohs fly should place itself