Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-07-20
W HOLE NO. 2SO5.

ond, and tho United States as third or fourtn.
This science has made It's way, thus far,
against tho Oft repeated inquiry-"What is
the use Of it :" but the spirit Of the times has
become too much enlightened at the present
day to be deferred by any consideration ofthis
kind, when the enlargement Of the bounds Of
human enlightenment is in question. If an
Espey or a Wise were now to propose to pro-
duoe rain by the fundamentally Of fire, or to
cross the American Continent and the Allan
to in a balloon, he would be no longer laughed
at as an idle thoorst. The public mind, in
fact, subordnatod and controlled by the won
dorlul developments Of science far excolling
the wisdom Of Solomon, now labors in
quarrying out facts, as it we're, from the noun
tains of TRUTH without questioning into what
part Of the glorious temple Of knowledge they
to be built. 1t has learned to estimate
facts Of priceless worth, and to perceive
that they will certainly find their places in
building up some great utility to man Since
we have seen that il was a careful examina-
lion into the nervous twitchings of frogs
leg that led a first step to that astonishing
system Of nervous Tissues, the electrical tele-
graph, the mind has learned to appreciate the
gemmy value Of fact, however Insignificant
it may appear. and now no longer asks
"What is the use Of il
1t ia not long since cavernous passage in
certain part of France was discovered to be
possessed Of a temperature very considerable
lower than that of the surrounding air. AL
though tho warm south wind blew into it, and
through it, the temperature within was almost
ice cold. The waters, constantly dripping
from the mossy rocks, and being as constant
ly evaporatcd by the warm dry wind, kept tho
cavern reduced to near the freezing point, even
in the warmest months of summer. This fact,
although known in the neighborhood for
long time, was never turned to any account
until it was thoroughly understood. The
cavern was then made use Of for dairy pur-
poses, for the making and preserving Of
butter and cheese, and valuable did it be-
come in this respect, that it gave rise to
village of some five hundred inhabitants, dairy
men and women, where previously there wero
none. Hence, in this case, the discovery Of
a single fact would appear to have increased
the capacity Of a country for the sustaining of
population by several hundred souls-the
highest test of utility that could be required.
And we have but little doubt in our own
mind that discoveries are already in progress
that will lead to much higher degree of utili-
/ ty to France than this. For her territory is
now annually subject to frightful ravages from
hail-storms, by the prevention of which there
would be saved from destruction food enough
for thousands. These storms always known
to be accompanied by extraordinarily active
! exhibitions of electricity and it is not at all
! impossible, but on the contrary is very prob
able, that any means by which the electricity
could le drawn off would prevent the forma-
tion of hail and consequently the ruin which
the hail now produces among the crops
| Perhaps a sufficient number of lightning rods
upon some elevated point of land, ike that
| fasces of them, as it were, which rises with
their silver points from tho editces of our
neighboTng town of Amherst, would draw
| out the ire from the blackcst thunder cloud
as Gordon of bayonets does from charge of
horse If so, a few well guarded points in
! the higher lands of France, would probably
protect her whole territory from the hail
/ storm, Just as a house is now protected by
single lightning rod.
| With regard to the usefulness Of meteorolog-
ical observations to Vermont, aside from
| agricultural point Of view in which it is too
apparent to need more than reference, we
may allude to the subject of health. In
| climate variable as our winter climate is,
subject to sudden changes from cold and dry
| to warm and wet, and uice versa, and whore
feyers Of the worst kind as we'll as eonsump-
ton seem to be becoming more prevalent, it
is of the first Importance that We should have
a thorough knowledge of the weather in its
/ bearing upon diseases. By living blindly
subject to the forces of nature that are con-
stantly operating upon us to the detrlment n
our health, we should be living simply the
Indians do, and should be failing to the duties
of our position as an enlightened portion of
tho Christian world. There is disease
alone, the scourge of Vermont, carrying off
annually large and most interesting portion
of her population, which it would be interest
ing to know the history ofin connexion with
regular, careful series of meteorological OBJ
servation. We need hardly say that we allude
to the scarlatina, How many parents heart
has been wrung by this insidious disease as
it hurried off the promising blossoms of their
hopes to untimey graves and still probably
nothing moro is known of its character than
there was fifty years ago. Not a record has
been kept to show what kind of seasons pre-
vailed, whether wet or dry, warm or cold,
regular or changeable, in which this disease
has ragged the most The old Academy ia
the middle of the town now dates back more
than half century since its establishment,
and what an interesting and valuable series
OF observations upon the weather might it not
have been able to furnish us during that time
like light, throwing its Illuminating in
auence back into the dusky past and far into
the future But as il is, the old institution
is all silont in this respect, and we have no
moro knowledge Of the true climate Of Yer
mont now than we ever had.
70 remedy the evil, and to place Vermont
among the foremost communities in the devel-
opment Of meteorological science, a position
for which her admirable organization, social,
poitical and educational, fit her in remarka-
bic degree, very little legislative attention
only would be necessary. An appropriation
from the State Of some fifty or sixty dollars
tor the purchase OF meteorological instruments
for each Of the fourteen counties of which the
State is composed, would probably be all that
is needed to set the machinery going and
secure its regular operation. For there is
undoubtedly some ono school, academy or
college IN each county that would gladly un-
dertake series Of observations provided they
were furnished with the proper instruments,
forms and instructions These latter could
doubtless be had at first. from the Smithsonian
Institution; and subsequently they could DO
procured through the Secretary Of the Board
Of Education One copy of the observations
sent annually, say to the State Librarian at