The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1861-02-20
FOR THE LANCASTER LEDaER.1
The Rain,

The Rain,
1t has rained every week this year If it
continues to fall in the same proportion our
upland farmers may look out for corn crops.
Very few persons are ever exactly satisfied
about the rain. There is either too much
or too litte-it falls too fast or too SLOW
it is too cold or hot-or else comes at the
wrong time.
1t has been debated whether any rain fell
before the flood. The inspired historian
simply tells us that ~ mist went up from
the earth and watered the whole face ofthe
ground This was, rs some suppose, about
what we would :orm "a heavy dew Per-
haps the water was regularly exhaied by
and returned to the earth. Who knows?
The writer was not there. But the fact
that the "bow in the cloud" 4 natural phe-
nomenon, was introduced Immediately after
the flood, as perpetual token, affords pre-
sumpiive evidence that rain had never fallen
before that time. Since then it hes been
| a regular institution
1t no rain had fallen before the flood, then
the introduction TO that event in the ascen.
ding vapors and the forming clouds, nv
vivid flashes of Lightning and the terrific
peals of thunder, must have smitten the
hearts of the antediluvians with untold hor.
ror; tor if there had been no rain neither
could there have been any electric phenom-
ena such as we are accustomed to witness
IN thunder-storms, &c, and hence all the
circumstances OF the Geluge must have been
to that people both new and startling. A
shower would hayc terrified ,hem-how
much more the opening of "the windows of
heaven" and TIE breaking up" of 'the.
foundations of the great deep!"
In some portions Of the earth it never
rains in summer. The land there is water
ed by streams which flow from the noun.
talns, where rain does fall, and from whose
heights tho melting of perpetual SHOWS sup
plies their waters. by bitches from the
main current each farm is supplied Bat
where there is no rain we suppose there
can be no clouds. How monolonous are
the skies Of such lands we can scarcely inn
agine. But in those countries they ought
10 have good, firm roads, subject to no
change with fuctuating seasons. And, be-
sides, the people are never overtaken by nm
unexpected storm Picking berries and
evening rides must be fine sport without
the romance Of nm occasional drsnching-
But to puff and blow beneath the scorching
rays Of midsummer sun whose light ia
never obscured or allevated except by the
far off western hills would be little dis
tressing to one so used TO alternate shower.
shade and sunshine as we people of Lam
caster happen lobe just now.
In some regions it rains all of winter
We can very nearly sympathize with the iu.
habitants of those cIimes. Where such n
thing is an established law of nature we
suppose the people gather their fuel in au
tumn. When their marketing is done i. au
open question with tnis writer.
10 some portions of Africa it is said by
somebody to rain every day in. summer
One might suppose the air would be little
cooled by 30 many showers. But we guess
Carolinian would still think il warm.
Rain is the falling of condensed vapor
which has been collected by the winds from
the evaporation which is always going on
from every body of water exposed to air
above a certain temperature. The waters OF
the ocean supply far the largest portion of
these vapors. Its continual agitation by
tides and winds favors the process, which
goes on, sometimes imperceptibly, at others
sensibly, and then we have what is called
dense fog. The winds which favor, also
drive away the fog until, meeting with OPP
position, they are collected in denser bodies
and hang as clouds over the earth still drift
ting before the ever.changipg wind until
their own density determines them to de-
scend in showers upon The earth.
Clouds of rain are attracted by streams of
water, and hence in dry season high ridaes
and places remote from any large cusr<nt
are apt to suffer most from drought. a from
this simple fact men may sec how mtth we
! are sil indebted for propitious ssssons to
"Him who holds the wlnds ID lid 6ftn
Rain Is great fertilizer. Wks3hsr too
much may not produce evil kluisicient TO
counterbalance the good Effects psoduced
10 anothsr question. Bad r},ads ass one of
the evils produced By lopg c>attc osd raIss.
--the washing away Of fencop snd coll and
bridges, DO, is another.