Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-03-29
CLIMATIC CHANGES.
Prof Cleveland Able Discourscs on THIS
Interesting subject.

Prof Cleveland Able Discourscs on This
Interesting subject
| An article in the Forum is upon the
subject Of the much-talNed-of change in
our climate The writer, Prof. Glove
land Able, says that the notion that it
Is possible for a climate TO change is u
modern one. Our ancestors lived i'm "a
region subject to but slight climatic
changes, and on this account perhaps
presumed that climate was absolutely
Interchangeable. In 1872 Cuyicr pub
| lished his discourse on the Reyolu-
tiors of tho Surface Of tho Globe and
Changes Thereby Produced in the Ami
NAL Kingdom. This was at that day
con sidered as contradicting ancient ira
ditions and the evidences OF the senses.
| Cuvior had in mind slow changes which
we're in progress through long ages and
resulting from geological alterations.
But after the publication of Cuviers
discourse people got used TO tho idea
that climatic changes were possible.
Many writer's have since cndcayored TO
demonstrate that climatic changes have
taken place within historical times.
Nowadays it is indeed common TO meet
with persons who believe that climatic
changes may occur within generation.
The distinction between climate and
weather is that weather is the condi-
ton of the atmosphere at any one time.
while climate is the general condition
OF the important features OF tho
weather during a derabie time.
Every body knows that the averages
and extremes Of temperature, rain-fall
and other atmospheric phenomena
differ from year to year. One or two
abnormal years may greatly affect the
average OF any short terms in which
they occur.
II the observa' ion OF temperature af-
ford litlo hope of demonstrating a per-
manent change of climate the observa-
tons Of rainfall afford no better.
The difficulty is that there are no
ancient records with which TO compare
our modern observations. We know
nothing of the temperature and rain
fall OF distant cpochs. Of the dates OF
early and late frosts, the freezing Of
rivers. cold winters and hot summers,
the opening of navigation, and the
temperature OF the earth. I'm our per-
plexity TO know what ancient climates
were, recourse has been had TO the
periodic phenomena of animal and
vegetable life, the fight of birds,
and the ripening of plants But there
l. att r Oh
in the climate at any point Of the
earth's surface during the last 1000
years. The fact that Chaldea, Egypt
and Arizona contain deserts, where
there was formerly cultivation, is no
evidence of a change Of climate. Tho
ancient fertility of these countries may
have been due to skillful irrigation
rather than 10 moro abundant rains.
The fault, it seems, lies with the me-
teorologist of ancient times, who neg
lected 10 make, or at any rate TO pre-
serve, his records. There is one natu-
raj phenomenon which was observed as
carefully in ancient ss in modern times.
This was the rise and fall of the Nile.
II we should at any time discover upon
Egyptian monuments any records OF
these observations we shall have some
data upon which TO compare the ancient
and the modern climate of the Nile
Valley. The upshot OF the writer's
conclusions is that not only is it impos-
sible for us TO know whether any
change is taking place in our climate,
/ hut that il will reotiirp some hundreds
| of years OF observation before we can
.aSv what our climate Is