Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-10-18
How to FOretell Weather.
Cor. Southern Planter.

ter an article with the above caption
was read with much interest. 1t is
proposed to explain for the benefit Of
Country members" the different clouds
as understood by meteorologists. The
following varieties and sub-varieties
are recognized, viz: 1. Cirrus. This
is the most elevated of all the forms of
clouds; is thin, long drawn, sometimes
looking like cardcd wool or hair, some>
times like brush or broom, some.
times in curl.like or feece.like patches.
1t is the "cat's tail" 2. Cumeylats.
This form is somewhat elevated, and
appears in large masses of hemis>
pherical form, or nearly so, above, but
fiat below, one often piled above an
other, forming great clouds, common
in Summer, and presenting The appear
ance of gigantic mountains crowned
with snow. This cloud often affords
rain and thunder gusts, 3. Stratus.
This fern is mo lerately high, and APP
pears in layers Or bands, extending
horizontally. 4. NimbuS. This form
is moderately high, and is character
lied by its uniform grey tint and rag.
ged edges; it covers the sky in sea-
sons of continued rain, as in easterly
storms, and is the proper rain cloud.
The name Is sometimes used respecting
a rainy cumulus or cumulOstratus.
5. Giro. O,mlulats. Very high, and
consisting like cirrus of thin, broken,
feece-like cloud, but the parts are
more or less rounded and regularly
grouped. 1t is properly called "mack-
erel sky" 6. Cirro>Shatle8. High,
and having the patches of cirrus, co,
alescing into long strata, between Cir
rus and stratus. 7. ClmuLo,StratltS.
A form of cloud between cumulus and
stratus, often assuming at the horizon
black or blush TINT. Fog Is a cloud
motionless, or nearly so, lying near or
in contact with the surface of the earth,
and storm-sand is cloud lying quite
low, without form, and driven rapidly
with the wind (west). So much for
the classification of clouds.
If one could read the signs, each
day toretells the next; today is the
progenitor of tomorrow. When the
atmosphere is telescope, and distant
objects stand out unusually clear and
distinct, a storm is near. We are on
the crest of the wave, and the depres.
sion follows quick. 1t sometimes hap
pens that clouds are not so indicative
of storm, as their total absence. In
this state of the atmosphere the stars
are unusually numerous and bright al
night, which is also bad omen. Il
appears that the transparency of the
air is prodigiously increased when &
certain quantity Of water is uniformly
diffused through it." "Mountaineer'
predict change of weather when, the
air being calm, the Alps covered with
perpetual snow, seem on a sudden t
be nearer the observer, and their out
lines are marked with great distinct
ness on the azure sky" This same
condition of the atmosphere renders
distant sounds more audible.
There is one redness of the East il
the morning that means storm, another
that indicates wind. The first is broad
deep and angry; the clouds look lik'
an immense bed of burning Goals; thu
second is softer and more vapory. A
the point where the sun is going tt
rise, and in few minutes in advance
of his coming, there rises straight up
wards a rosy column, like a shaft o
dyed vapor, blending with, and we
partly separated from the clouds, anC
the base of which presently comes tt
glow like the sun himself. The dav
that follows is pretty sure to be windy
1t is uncertain to what extent bird
and animals can foretell the weather
When swallows are seen hawking very
high, it is good indication, becaus
the insects upon which they feed ven
ture up there only in the most auspi
Cious weather.
People live in the country all thei
lives without making one accurate oh
eryatiOn about nature. The GOOD nh