Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1884-01-23
FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

/ FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
Which is best, merit or pedigreep An
swer. Both. Sometimes poor individ'
ual will give good results. A wrinkle, or
more often, 2 or wrinkles across the
nose Is good Indication because it is
characteristic of highly bred merinos.
Is the tendency toward breeding for
fancy points on the increase or noP IL
is on the increase. The recent intro.
duction of French blood In to Vermont
may supply certain want among those
that desire a larger carcass and more
mutton. We can't keep up the size here
in Vermont with our best bred sheep;
the same sheep will grow larger in west
ern New York Or in the west. There is a
limit 10 the size to which we can grow
them; we have increased the size some
during the last 20 years.
Question. Has swamp grass ever been
used for ensilagep Answer by l.. p. Smith
TrumansburS, N. Y. ~ have never
known of IN instance. Ordinary blue
grass, red top, etc. has been put into a
silo whole and came out in a fine condl-
ton"
"Maple Sugar" by DR. Cutting. lie
told his experiments which showed con-
clusively that the sap was not only more
abundant near the ground but sweeter
also. 1t was his opinion that much
damage, supposed to be caused by the
spout or nail, was really caused by sour
sap that oosad from the trees after the
sprout was pulled out or The nails drawn.
In answer to questions the Doctor spoke
in favorable terms of the crow owl and
| h. hut, <,c h, rnI,ip Ia
however, gave several interesting facts in
regard TO bird life.
Adjourned until evening
| EVENING.
The house was closely picked at an
early hour and DR.. II. A Cutting, after
answering the questions from the question
box, gave lecture upon THE Means of
Foreteling Storms" He remarked that
it was but a few hundred years ago that
| the most learned had no idea of the hnid
which surrounds the earth, now known a.
our atm sphere. But modern science had
not only shown its existence but had
studied its capabilities, analysed lis
avneous vapors and studied the laws of
storms. We know wind is this atmos,
phere in motion and that such motion was
caused by electricity and other forces,
though we had yet mnoh to learn. but
that the ancients could know nothing of
this. Plny, one of the greatest of hislo.
rans, tells us that "In houses there be
hollow places, devised by mems hands for
receipt Of wind, which, being inclosed in
shade and darkness, gather their bass.'
To their mines wind was Il god needing
protection. The origin of wind, as taught
heir youths, WAS that there are certain
caves or holes in the earth that breed
wind continuously without end" Gives.
from this superstition, became the hiding
places of freeboolers, as they being places
of superstitious dread, were safe from the
officers of the law. Even after the
atmosphere was paflially understood our
| forefathers had no instruments as we have
TO show the condition of this atmosphere,
While we weigh it and also the vapor it
contains they could only guess and yet
they observed many things which ate
even of great advantage now.
BY means OF the telegraph and the
signal service we have ascertained many
Of the laws that govern storms and the
storms were denominated cyclones. Ii
we stood our back to the wind when such
n storm was in progress the storm centre
or lowest barometer would be at the left
hand and the wind at its circumference
would blow in the contrary direction from
which the hands OF u watch move. From
this alone an accustomed observer could
very we'll calculate the probabilities of the
storms. The anti cyclones or high baron
eter would have the wind reversed or
move around the anti-cycone in the
direction of the hands of watch. But
such kinds were usually of less force. The
duration of fir we ither could from this
alone often he determined. After this
had all been considered there were many
other signs which would aid the judgment.
Halos of the sun and moon he first
considered. In six years observation 155
solar halos had been o served and 81
lunar ones. OF the solar 120 were fol-
lowed by rain within two days and 2G by
fair weather. OF the lunar SO were
followed by rain and 8 by fair weather.
Next the color of the sun was considered,
when Of light pale color going down in
bank of clouds bad weather was usually
approaching. Hence the couplet,
IF the sun goes pale to bed
Twill rain tomorrow it is said"
w lltll tuG iuUOu titS At Wullo IDOh dHl
the outline indistnct rain may be looked
for. Great distinctness of sound like the
rumbllng of the railroad train when heard
from great distances is Indicative of rain.
When morning dew is heavy and remains
long on tho grass, when fog in the valley
is slowly dissipated and fingers on the
hillsides, when the clouds seem TO be
taking higher place and Il few loose
GIRO strait float gently along pleasant
weather my be expected Bats flying
in early evening indicate fair. calm wealth
er. 1t is the custom of the housewife to
boil eggs 5 minutes. If the weather is
fair and the atmospheric pressure in con
sequence he water is hotter and the eggs
thus boiled are overdone. When the
barometer is low and the weather is foul,
not so hot and her eggs ale nearly raw;
the last is Indicative of rain. For the
same reason pots boil dry before storm,
rs evaporation goes on faster. If The
wind continues east for two days without
rain and does not turn south the third day
there is usually dry time. Hence the
couplet,
IF the wind il northeast three days without rain
Eight days will pass before south wind again"
TIC 'ucH gave ucsCl u ~ lOHs vi Clou IS dHU
what may he learned from them and after
a hundred or more of the common signs
of rain. Us derived from tho cattle, dogs,
rats, MICE fowls, robins, tiuis of shy, fish,
frost, ants, bees freflies, spiders, glow
worms, gnats. flies, flowers. mushrooms,
&c, etc Then of hours of commence
ment showing the reason for many of
the couplets that are called proverbs, us
"If it rains before seven
1t will clear before eleven"
Rain long foretold, long last,
Short notice. soon past"
He then gave several poems in which
numerous signs were apply placed in
rhyme He then spoke of his winter trip
to Mt. Washington and the beautiful frost
work there, also of remarkable phenome.
non. 1t was an interesting lecture, we'll
received by II large audience.
At the close of the lecture Hon. A. L.
Miner remarked that he had been highly
pleased during the evening, as well as BY