Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1883-12-20
Weather Prophets.
MUsKRATs, ICEMES, RAFTsMEN AND FARM
Frs PREDICT A MILD WINTER.



The opinion prevails on the part of many
of the weatheruise that the coming winter
will be a mild one. Some Of their predic-
tions are based on the habits Of the wild
animals Of the fields and woods, noting the
supply the squirrels lay by for their winter
support, he depth Of the woodchuck holes.
and the thickness of the fur of furnearing
animals But the animal whose sagaclty is
the most accurate, and whose wisdom is
most safe to follow. in the opinion of many,
is the muskrat The muskrat never makes
a mistake He knows all about the wealth
er. and when Ne omits to build his usual nest
near the bank Of the stream he frequents, il
is very evident that he regards il as alto
gether unnecessary for him to be at the care
and toll required to constructit. The musk
rat never expends his labor in folly. II he
don't need a house for winter he don't build
IT, He has built none so far this year. SO
report SAYS. and the conclusion il irresisti
bic that ne has omitted the work only be
cause he foresee. that the temperature will
be 50 mild and endurablc that he can man
age to get along very comfortably without
il.
Some think the weather will be mild be
cause the husk> on the corn were thin.
They say that nature anticipates the Kind Of
winter She intends 10 give by the abundance
or scantincss Of dress she gives the ears.
4 a IL, IL.
the husks that surround the corn are inva-
rlably thick and many; when the winter is
10 be mild. they are thin and f,w. They
were thin and few in last fails crpp, and
hence the winter will be mild.
The ice men say that the winter will he
mild. Their predictions are based on the
state Of the wind and weather when the sun
crossed the line IN passing from MS summer
to It's winter sulsiice. On the day on which
this event occurred the wind. they say. blew
from the south. and the Sun >hone warm.
Observations. continued through a long se-
ries Of years have demonstrated. they assert.
that the prevailing winds durin- the time
the sun sojourns in the southern hemis-
phere are Of the same character and blow
from the same direction a. does the wind on
the day the sun crosses the line.
Quite similar 10 the cemcns ideas on this
subject are the opinions Of the Delaware NV
er rattsmen. They. too. are close observers
Of the state Of the atmosphere, wind and
sun on the day that lumnary crosses the
equinoctal line The Delaware river RATS
mems anxiety is for a frcshet. and all the
signs and indications BY which they may be
predicted are carefully remembered and dill
- -.
say. has established tha, when heavy rains
and high water occur at the time Of the equ-
nox. every succeeding storm will shed less
rain. and the height Of water in the river
will continue for months 70 decrease. On
the contrary, when clear Skies and low water
accompany the equinox. the rain storms
which follow will increase in volume in ge
ometrical prOgression, that by the time
March is reached heavy rain storms. high
water and rafting freshets NAV be confident
~ anticipated. This year the SKY was clear
on the equinoctial day, and the umbermen
are preparing TO get out logs IN abundance
for the great treshets Of winter and early
spring. To be rainy the weather mu,; be
warm, and the signs, in their opinion,
point to an increasing amount Of rainfall as
the winter passes, the inference is that the
prevailing temperature will be warm and
mild.
The faEmers-at least, some of them-are
able 10 make fair predictions as to the
weather. They join with the lcemen and
raftsmen in asserting that the present win
ter will be mild. They base their predic-
tons on the recurrence of seasons Of like
character following each other Eigh, or
nine wears ago. they say, the winters every
Year grew mlder, until the elimination was
reached in winter Of exceptional mildness.
when warm winds prevailed, little snow fell
and scarcely ice enough formed to enable
them to gather even the slimmest store for
summer use. The past two or three years.
they say. have resembled in general charac-
Ter and in increasing mIldness the wears
which preceded the warm winter alluded to,
and the present, they feel certain, will be
very near counterpart Of the warm winter
itself. This year the elimination Of the
warmth will b. reached, and more rigorous
seasons may be anticipated after thi, one has
passed.
Impressions of New York.