Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-04-26
SIGNAL SERVICE OBSERVATIONS.

The following information regarding high
velocity Of wind in the United States and
the thermal belt of North Carolina has been
furnished Sergeant Barwick by General
Hazan, Chief Signal Officer of the Army,
Washington, D. c.:
For the month of February 1888, the total veloc-
ity of wind on Mount Washington in New Hamp-
SHIRE was 80, 404 miles; the maximum or highest
hourly velocity was l26 miles per hour; and on the
18th there was ls25 miles of wind passed over the
mountain in "a hours, which is an average velocity
Of 20 miles per hour for each hour during the "a
hours this being the greatest daily velocity
corded at that point since the signal office was
started that bleak and inhespitasle point which
in 1871. The highest velocity per hour in Cali
fornia was at Cape Kendocino, where 50 miles per
hour was recorded on the 18th, from the southeast
Professor J. w. Chickering, 10 a recent Pc
per upon the thermal belts of North Caro-
Inns, recited the observations of Silas Nc
Dowell and others, and which, showing a
similar condition to that existing in Califor.
nis, is of interest. It is as follows
The valley of the Little Tennessee river in Macon
county, North Carolina, is about 1000 feet above
tide. When the Thermometer indicates tempera-
tre OF about 26 Fahrenheit the frost extends about
800 feet in vertical hight up the mountain Sides and
there ceases, appearing again 400 feet higher. In
the intervening belt the most delicate plants re-
main untouched; and sharp the dividing
lines that sometimes one half of shrub may be
frost-killed while the other is unaffected Follow
ing a tributary stream upward from the valley, one
passes three mountain BARRIERS and enters 10 sue
cession three Valleys the highest OF which is plateau
like, and 5000 feet in altitude. The vernal zons
appears in each valley rsif the valleys rise, but
somewhat less rapidly that in the highest it is
only 100 feet above the plateau. In this frostless
zone the Isabella grape not merely has rpened for
twenty six consecutive years. but is free from mil
dew, blight and rust. In Polk county similar belt
is said 10 skirt the Tryon Mountains, extending
from 1000 to 1900 feet above tide. This is un-
touched by frost until the latter part OF December
and is usually free from snow while the mountains
above and the valleys below covered. The Pc
culiar stratihcation of the air indicated by these
statements merits scientific investigation.
This shows precisely the same condition ia
North Carolina that exists in the foothill
sections of this State, of which so much has
been said during the past four years under
denomination of the warm belt" Similar
observations in this State to these given
above would be of great interest and value.
They would confirm what the REco6D- UNION
has so frequently stated-that this warm
belt between the valleys and the high aiti-
tudes would in time become the finest and
most reliable fruit sections of the State. The
question of the thermal belts in our foothills
is one of great Importance, and merits early
scientific investigation and determination.
The sections which would be included in
these warm fruit belts are at present largely
unoccupied, and would greatly extend the
ares gov considered as Offering Inducements
for our people desiring to embark in fruit
raising, and for tee immigrants now tending
to this COST.