The Portland daily press., 1888-02-21
WEATHER WISDOM.
The signs That Tell OF Storm,
Sunshine, and Shower.

The signs That Tell OF Storm,
Sunshine, and Shower.
GMr. Maurice NJ ID. in 81. Louis Globe DemOcrat.l
There Is an immense amount Of weather
wisdom In the country. / assure you that
you can not find an old farmer anywhere who
does not cock his eye at the clouds, or the
birds or elsewhere and prophesy what wea-
ther we shall have for the next twenty-four
hours. only lack patience with those who
seek to prognostieate the weather for weeks
and months ahead, and by silly signs, or no
signs at all, seek to establish their reputa-
tion as prophets. Weather wisdom should
be seriously and carefully encouraged for TO
know twelve hours ahead whether TO expect
storm or clear weather, is matter Of thous-
ands Of dollars In the crops OF single town
1t is by no means science OF cunning gues-
sing; for there are signs abundant that VIII
guide a careful observer. Here Is simple
forecast which have somewhere seen and
have verifed II the sun set under clouds,
expect rain; II to the south, snow; or cooler
rain II 1t be summer.
Watching animals is fayorite and good
way Of prognostieating. The electric sense,
possessed by all creatures, makes them ap-
prehend storm hours before its appearance.
There are sensible electric and atmospheric
conditions that cause physical disturbance.
Cows will below, and often leap about.
Hens win oil their feathers. and express un-
easlness. Cats and dogs will eat grass freely.
Sheep and goats get frisky, and chase each
other. Horses will stretch themselves, and
gather in fence corners and under shelter IL
possible. Peacocks scream, and guinea FOWL
sQuawk worse than ever. 1t Is a general
state Of uneasiness that is observable In the
pastures and about the barns. Farmers
quickly observe this, and learn to guide them
selves accordingly.
Birds are even better indicator Of the
weather. In general they fly low before a
storm, because the air being proportionately
light they get the right pressure near the
ground. Owls keep up terrible to-whoo
ing. Sea birds fly landward. and land birds
fly seaward. Swallows skim the waters as
they fly. Crows are noisy and uneasy. All
birds prick themselves and dress their feath-
ers. Cranes are said to place their bills un-
der their wings. The general symptoms are
the same as with animals-restlessness and
noisy behavior; but the low flying is most
observable.
Insects are less likely to be studied, but they
are very valuable weather pointers. Some
old books may be found, however, that show
that the old-fashiOned entomology was most
a study of insects for this purpose. Swarms
of gnats indicate fine weather. When spi-
ders' webs float on a south wind In autumn.
expect good weather. If spiders alter their
webs in the evening, fine night is ahead; II
In the morning, expect fine day. In gen.
eral, spider activity indicates good we ather,
and spiders in quiet hiding indicate bad
weather, especially II they break up their
webs. If bees fly far from home there will
be fair weather; If they remain in the hive
look for a storm. Crickets chirp loud before
a rain. III beetles dash about freely expect
good spell of weather.
Plants are also excellent indicators of the
weather. The leaves OF some trees fold to-
gether before storm, presenting only the
under surface to the rain. Morning glories
and four-o'cloeks shut up their petals. Tre-
foils, of all sorts, contract their leaves;
There are mnrmurinss aa.sAs AAe 4svoS, anu
although general gSieI yee ps,psI.s
would promptly judge from his plants and
trees, yet be unable to tell, altOgethr, why he
presaged rain.
Our own personal relations to the atmos-
phere are such as to present very clear tndi-
cations Of what weather to expect. Those
who are rheumatic suffer terrible twinges.
The gOuty are tortured. C0rns and bunions
become terribly uncomfortable. Many persons
are highly electrical In temperament. and
can not keep still before storm. These SEN
satiOns are often keen, and for a time pain
full The passion to walk Is Irresistible.
Limbs that have been broken ache before
storm.
Among more general signs are those borne
about In proverbs and rhymes:
rainbow at night is a sailors delight;
But rainbow In the morning Is a sailor warn
ing.
This Is sometimes called the shepherds
Warning" III the sense OF smell seem spec
Tally keen, 1t indicates bad weather. II
smoke drops from chimneys, 1t Is TO be foul
weather, but II II rises directly, be sure OF
clear sky. The degree Of dropping indicates
the degree Of storm. Ii stars Ticker more
than usual, LOOK for storm. III the night be
remarkably clear and the stars bright and
apparently nearer than usual, look for bad
weather. III earth worms crawl out very
freely IL will soon rain. Indeed, they come
ont SO abundantly at times that they seem to
have rained down and are so believed to
have fallen by many people. III the sky Is
red In the morning look for fair weather, un-
| less 1t quickly turns to duh hue. III the sky
is red at night, look Tor ,onllhy windy S storm
steady. But II the red remain till long after
sunset, look for fair skies.
By such signs weathea lore becomes SIM
pie homely science. The logic OF all such
demonstrations Is direct and evident. There
are also some proverbs of q weather-wise
sort that are not so easily explainable, and
yet they stand the test Of experience. Every
one knows that
Rain before seven,
Twill clear before leven.s
but do not know that any one has explain
ed why this Is so. I'm drouth all signs
fail' is a farmers joke He knows that there
are many signs that accompany dry spell.
A shower about o'clock In the morning will
seem imminent. Is will threaten for an hour
a drop will fall here and there, and then the
sky will clear up drier than ever. These are
sometimes called "dry showers" or "drouth
showers" The use Of simple barometers Is
quite common among farmers, such as cam
phor in water, which rises before a storm;
and by settling indicates dry weather. Sig
nal service bulletins are not understood by
the general run OF plain folk, and are sub
ject Of ridicule. The farmer reads tnat there
will be local rains In his section, and yet all
day the sky Is CLASSY clear. he does not
fully grasp the idea that storms may travel
in paths Of only mile or half-mlle width,
and so be abundant not far from him. The
lightning of distant storm playing along
the horizon Is called heat lightning, and Is
not supposed to be an accompaniment OF
rain and thunder. In an almanac printed In
1857 there are a few curious "Prognostlcs Of
Winds Of Tempests and or Rains" OF
winds. we are told that 'The Resembling Of
the Sea upon the shore, and murmurlng Of
the Winds In ye Woods without apparent
vino, show wind to follow; shooting OF stars
las some call ~ is an usual sign OF wind from
that quarter of the skie the stars came from,
Redness of the Skie in the morning Is a tok-
en- Of winds, or rain, or both; II the circles
that appear about the Sun be red and br0k-
EN- they pOrtend wind; II thick and dark,
Winds, Snow or Rain" OF rain Il says: "If
two Rainbows appear they are a sign Of
Rain II the Sun or Moon look pale, look for
rain il a dark Cloud be at Sunrising the Sun
will dissolve it and Rain will follow; II the
Sun seem greater In the East than common
ly, 1t is a sign Of Rain" The signs for fair
weather are the same homely sort. "One
Rainbow indicates fair skies; mists in the
Evening show fair, hot day on the NOR
row. If mists come down from the Hills
and settle in the valleys they promise hot
weather" This almanac dates, as we see.
only about half a hundred years after the
settlement Of New England, and il could not
be published without the Governors per-
mission, which would suit our Daniel Dough-
erty.