The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-01-15
Vennor, the Weather Prophet.

Mr.. Fl. G. Vennor, many of whose
weather predictions have been so remark
ably fulfilled, has made an Almanack fol
; 1881, from which the following extracts
are made. 1t appears that Mr.. Veunol
not only uses the most approved methods
of science, but among other subjects from
which to forecast, he takes beavers, bears
cats, crows, flowers, muskrats, swallows
and other natural objects. On the gen
er; subject he says:
The predicting of the weather beyond
the twenty four hour limit of the Ameri-
Can and Canadian Meteorological Offices,
is ridiculed by the majority of people, sim
ply because they know little or nothing at
all of the subject; aud also in times past
"the weather has been used by quaek med,
icine venders, to very large extent, as a
bait to catch the curious, and draw from
the pockets Of the untaught and unsus-
pecting multitudcs There seems always
to have existed an idea that Gipsies and
Indians knew more Of the weather than
most other people. Probably this arose
from the fact of its being well known that
such individuals led a nomadic and out
door life, and that the latter class espe-
cially were close observers of wild animals,
and from these learned something, out of
the common, of natures secrets. Yet in
this idea lies the germ of the whole matter;
namely, close companionship with Ma
ture and close observance of her laws.
IF ever we are to succeed in forecasting
approaching weather, this will form the
primary stepping stoae and base upon
which all subsequent construction must rest.
But outdoor experience alone is not suf6-
cient in this department of inquiry. The
wild animals have this to the fullest extent,
yet they cannot forsee approaching wealth
er, except to very limited extent, and
certainly not to the extent of whole sea-
sons in advance. But entire dependence
is not to be placed on such sources; to them
is to be added an extensive knowledge of
science and of weather changes noted in
newspapers and kilograms.
I long ago found out that mapping the
weather was the correct thing. I defy
anyone to take up a series of tablets COW
cred with aarometric and thermometric
reading, in the figure shape, and make
much out of these, even after very fair
perusal. Figures do not convey to the
eye what the general behaviour of the
weather has been for the last week, month
or year, at least, to the general observer,
but mapped outlines at glance convey a
correct idea.
Again, I wish to determine, say, wheth
er January or any other month We may be
in, is acting according to its usual pro-
gramme. To effect this I do not consult
meteorological figure tables of past Janua-
ries, and pencil down again and contrast
the maxima, minima and mean tempera-
lures I fud recorded. No; simply pin
out on the table before me few narrow,
and anything but formidable looking slips
of paper, representing, say, some ten or
more Januarys, on which are sketched to
temperature scale all the undulations of
each respective month. Within five min
utes 1 note the cold, moderate or mild
months; see in what portion of these cold
"dips'' or "church steeples" have occur
red; in which the snow storms; where the
rain falls. In short, within a compare
lively few moments, l know far more re-
specting the behaviour of the past ten
Januarys than had 1 poured for hours over
long columns of figures representing, say
tri-daily, readings of barometer and ther-
mometer.
Besides the undulations or ups and
downs of temperature, my maps also indi-
cate the days or portions of days on which
either snow or rain has fallen, and the av
erage duration of each fall This feature
is shown by distinct colors. For instance,
the main temperature line is red, carmine
or something brilliant. When snow begins
to fall dot of blue is put on the proper
place on the paper, and when the fall ends
second dot is registered, and these two
connected by line of the same color.
Thus the duration of the snow fall is shown.
In like manner the rain-falls are marked
out in green, and even brief showers may
be indicated by dashes of this color when
they have occurred. Where snow, sleet
and rain come together and are inseparably
mixed up, the two colors-blue and green
are dotted in alternately. By this
method the extent of precipitation for the
month is iustantaneously disceruable.-
Such weather maps have been an invalua-
Bile aid to me in the preparation of my
weather forecasts, as they show at glance
the recurring periods" in series of years.
Mans Natural Age.
According to the theory of the late Pro-
fessor Faraday, the natural age Of man