, 1875-05-22
A CLOUDED EXPERIMENT.
From the Glasgow Weekly Mail. "

Mr.. johnson, a Pittsburgh pump manu-
facturer, has Just invented a machine for
increasing the rainfall. 1t is we'll known
that the belt of air which surrounds the
globe contains an immense quantity OF
water in the form of invisible vapour.
1t is only when currents of cold or hot air
are formed that clouds are seen. People
often wonder why this water does not tall
on the earth one day as well as another.
Science explains that certain temperatures
and electrical conditions are necessary tor
a rain storm. Natural heat is only pro-
duced by the SUMS rays. But Mr.. John
son discovered that certain chemical
LIQUIDS sprayed into the air produced in
tense heat the same as when some Kinds
OF acids are put in water. His first expert
ment was to send up a balloon from one
of his factories, with a small rubber tube
attached. The lowest end was connected
with, a powerful force pump. At an aIti-
tude of a mile, the balloon remained sta
t%ionary. Then he started his engine, and
theliquid began to ascend the pipe. The
day was cold, and not a cloud was to be
seen, but within fifteen minutes a heavy
mist gathered around the ba loon, and soon
it was entirely hidden. The engine pump
ed on. More and stronger chemicals were
thrown into the reservoir, while clouds OF
frightful bIackness commenced to roll.
Presently, lightning was seen, and thun-
der heard, although it was In. the dead
of winter aud the ground covered with
snow. BY this time Mr.. Johnson was
half beside himself. The marvellous u
cess of the experiment was more than he
had expected. To oblige, a professor,
pumping was suspended for a while.
Slowly the sky cleared, the thunder ceas-
ed, and the balloon once more became
visible. Then steam was turned on II
more chemicals added to the liquid in the
tank. A tremendous mass OF darkness
again shrouded the balloon and heavy dis
charges of electricity lent grandeur to
the scene. Scarcely had twenty minutes
elapsed before it began to hail. A shaft
of lightning demolished a neighbourlng
chimney. Other chemicals were added
and the hail changed to rain. Such a
storm had never been heard of before, and
when the crowd, which had gathered with
their umbrellas, learned the cause OF 1t,
their enthusiasm was unbounded. 1t was
found that by changing the proportions OF
the mixtures in the tank, the character OF
the storm could be varied, Some capital
lists who were present formed company
on the spot, to manufacture the machines
ON a large scale. Mr.. johnson says that
the arid plains can be watered for a few
cents an acre. H is certain that he can
soak a strip of country ten miles square,
with one machine, and he thinks that
if a very heavy storm were once start
ed in the heavens it would continue
of itself, and spread over a wide ter
ritory, which was not the case with the
first experiment, as it was not sntti-
GENTLY prolonged. If successful, ma
chimes will be sent to Egypt and Ara
bia for the use Of travellers In the
Great Desert. The editor of the Danbury
News remarks regarding this communica-
ton" This author has either a stupen-
dous head for science or an astonishing
aptitude for lying-we don't know which"
n NJ "A n n