The sun., 1882-08-27
How to Modify Climate.


show that the undesirable climate Of any
| place. whether town or country, can be arti-
fcially altered to an extent quite worth the
effort required to accomplish the change.
Such view, from this source, cannot fail to
excite interest, particularly as the scientific
| facts on which the essay is based are fol-
lowed by practical deductions.
Climate, says Prof. FARMLAND Is pri-
marily made up of two factors, sun warmth
and air warmth, the former being bracing
and the latter "relaxing or oppressive"
The first series OF his experiments, made in
various parts Of Europe, related to the COM
parative rejecting powers of different sur
faces receiving sun warmth; while other
experiments asccrtained the influence eX-
erted by latitude, elevation above sea level,
and the presence Of watery vapor. 1t is
worth observing that his results show that
sun warmth does not diminish proportion
ally with increased latitude or obliquty of
the rays, there being often an augmentation
OF solar energy in high latitudes.
The conditions most favorable for q genial
climate depending on sun warmth are great
elevation above sea level, white or light
colored ground and background, minimum
free from dust, SCOT, smoke, and fog and
sheltered position for receiving both the di-
rect and reflected solar rays. The last three
Of these conditions, Prof. FARMLAND notes,
are also favorable for a genial climate de-
pending on air warmth, while the first three
are diametrically opposed to it. 1t is fur
ther evident that some OF these elements of
climate are, to a certain extent controllable,
as, for example, the light or dark ground and
background.
But while, for invalids and others, a white
surface would theoretically be best, yellow
sand is nearly as good a reflector of solar
heat, and less trying to the eyes; and with
it may be secured powerful sun warmth in a
cold and bracing air. Winter climatic re-
sorts are best situated on coasts having a
southern aspect seaward and a somewhat
abrupt elevation. Prof. FARMLAND says:
ITO the north Of the grounds attached to the dwellings
let wall twenty thirty feet high be built stretching
round eastward and westward to afford shelter from
northery winds. and let be whtewAshed the south
side to reflect the suns The houses and wall
should be SO placed command in the highest pos
sble degree an uninterrupted view OF the from the
south windows OF the houses and the grounds
nifty or sixty feet at least in front of the wall that
from both positions the reflection OF the in the
may be seen in winter from sunrise to sunset"
1t is admitted that the prospect northward
would be sacrificed by this unsightly white
washed wall; still, the inmates would have a
free lookout from southeast to southwest
Residents requiring air warmth could secure
it in suitably heated glass corridors, which,
however, should not be more than ten feet
high, so as to avoid the chilling of the warm
air against cold glass, while the roof should
either be ceiled or constructed of double glass
Prof. FARMLAND suggests that electricity
will one day manufacture for US, to order,
such outdoor climate as we may wish. AN
agent" he says. (which has been success
fully used as a substitute for sunlight in the
ripening and the navoring of fruits would
also, when applied on larger scale, convert
dull, gloomy day into bright and sunny
one within the grounds of the sanitariun we
are now contemplating" Indeed he has as
certained by direct experiments that the heat
rays Of the electric light, when thrown upon
white or light surfaces, behave like solar
rays, and can be secured like sun warmth.
An interesting example of the artificial al
teration of climate is furnished in Prof FRANK
LANDS suggestions for the coloring Of houses
according as it is found more important to
relieve the heat of summer OF the gloom Of
winter. The darker the color of the houses,
the cooler the streets land the hotter the
rooms during sunshine the lighter the color
of the houses, the hotter the streets and the
cooler the rooms" But since direct solar
radiant heat does not penetrate much
through the walls of houses, except by the
windows, and does penetrate most unpleas-
antly through tho roofs these latter should
receive the first attention. Thus, in bright
| sunshine states become SO hot that the hand
can hardly endure even their under surfaces; (;
| but whten the upper surfaces of these satos,
says Prof. FARMLAND, and they remain as
| cool as the surrounding air
A second practical example of Prof.
| FRANKLAND's theory Of modifying climate
concerns the control of city fogs. First
| showing by scientific statement the effect Of
| creating a barrier to solar radiation, he
| points out that from the $4,000 tons of btu
| minous coal daily consumed in London dur
Ing winter, GG7, ,OOO, 900 cubic feet of steam are
discharged into the atmosphere, with IA capa-
bility of saturating AZ, 3,3jj,0OOOOO cubic feet of
| perfectly dry air at the freezing point. This
air would cover hundred square miles To
| the depth of fifteen feet, and ut the slightest
cooling would form fog But the experiments
of Collier and MAscART, confirmed by Mr..
| AITKIN, show that aqueous vapor only be-
comes fog when foreign matters, solid or
| liquid, are present; and bituminous coal
sends up an enormous quantity Of SCOT and
tar, every ton consumed in CRATES giving oll
about six hundredwcght of volatile, but
condensable products. Factory chmneys,
says Prof. FARMLAND, are of slight in
nuence in generating and prolonging London
fogs, compared with the $4,000, 900 lireplaccs
in the 100000 houses. Collecting from the
Reglstrar-General startling statistics Of
London's annual fog mortality, II single OK
ample OF which is furnished in the ,223
| deaths from bronchitis alone. besides hun