The Portland daily press., 1889-08-27
NOW Let Us Talk About the
Weather.

In watching the suns shadow, the first salu-
tation Is naturally about the weather
-Ihey talked OF the haying and wondered whether
The cloud in the west would bring foul weather.
1t is Interesting to all, for much Of our
comfort and often our health depends upon
1t. More speculation is wasted and more
prophets have come to grief upon this than
upon almost any other topic Did we not
see Gen. Greedy completely discounted in
trying to predict the three hottest days Of
1883? And has not Prof. Wiggip, who
would probably be held as wise and learned
man il he had not predicted, become an
examplar Of folly? Occasionally
prophet displays his unwisdom con-
spcuously, like the st. Louis gentle
man last winter, who announced
great storm just before Christmas. which he
said would be aggravated by the great gales
TO be always expected at the winter solstice,
ignoring the fact that for thousands OF years
the calm weather Of the winter solstice had
been so noted that the Greek fable made the
Halycon breed on the waves at that time,
and made Shakespeare and Milton, following
the popular belief, ascribe 1t to the Saviour's
nativity falling at that period. He might
II
theory, by remembering that at the winter
and summer solstices there is. for few days,
scarcely any change Of polarity, and conse-
quently less chance for electrical disturb
ances, just as at the equinoxes there is the
most change. and therefore the most llkeli-
hood Of storms.
But the most remarkable Is the man whose
memory telescopes the seasons of his youth
together. and who distinctly remembers that
when he was young the sleighing always
came early in November and held on until
April, so that he knows that the climate is
growing milder. 1t is true that in our infinite
variety of weather that thing sometimes
happens. but 1t is oftener trne that when the
snow fingers late it has held off late; and It
sometimes happens, too, like last winter, that
1t comes late and goes off early. Wehave no
seasons that cannot be paralleled in the past,
and there were none In the past that will not
probably be paralleled In the future. Our
Oldest inhabitant can remember. il he tries
how he longed for skating Thanksgiving and
r ,. sse;ighlng Christmas. and how often he
match him with their experience
Back 10 the landing of the Pilgrims we find
exactly the same range Of seasons that we
have now. In 1775 the grass waved in the
t neads as the British troops marched out to
c cns C %as nghs ana IL 1892 the year Lin
Parson Smiths record Nav 6. I775. was.
me spring has hitherto been, and is. cold.
wet and backward, except the grass" But
IN March he had recorded that the winter
mad been wonderfully moderate and unfreez-
ing. April SHOWS. melting on the open
ground. melt so quickly that the ammonia is
saved and quickens the grass wonderfully.
But 1t does not affect the trees much. and
they may tell different story in the same
season. The apple trees bloomed that year
May 3ist, while the average is May 25th. the
earliest May 9Th, and the latest June 9th.
Among the early years are 1898, 1878, 1886
and 1889; and among the latest are 1775, 1875,
1882 and 1888. 100
the cherry trees. The earliest is May list.
176O, and the latest May 31st, 1726. Among
the early years are 1924, 1751, 176O, 1873, 1886
and 1889. Among the latest are l726, 17S5,
1873. 1875, 1882 and 1888.
In February, 1875, horses went to Peaks
Island on the ice, thing which had not han.
pened Tor forty years. 1t may never be done
again, because steamers will be more likely
to keep the channels open, but it will be cold
enough some future February.
influenced in his opinion by the scientific
statement about the glacial periods and
thinks the climate has been steadily growing
warmer ever since: but, as DIR. Hill has
pointed out, the climate Of the world has not
changed ci;H,g ior $500 years, for when Joshua's
was the northern limit Of the date palm and
the southern limit Of the grape, and the line
is the same today. although, as Agassiz re-
marked, hundred miles north or south
would change it.
In the same way, a hundred years ago.
some scientists thought the perturbatiops OF
the moon indicated that earth was still cool
ing and contracting, and that the moon
would finally tumble in upon US; but La
t riace went to calculating, and found that
Moses, connecting the festivals of the moon
with known astronomical events, and SO
proved That In that period the moons reyolu-
tlon had not varied, and that consequently
the earth had grown no smaller.
One OF our city papers recently said that.
"a well-known clergyman had predicted
seven cold seasons In succession" and re-
marked that there are at least good grounds
on which to base such a prophecy. The
wellknown clergyman is too wise to
the astronomical conditions which have been
depended upon by some theorists are always
disappointing. Some years ago 1t was pre-
dicted that the punching of the great planets
on one side OF the sun would bring about
Tremendous e conyulsions Of nature on this
respectively, to similar copjunctions, did not
show anything very startling In history. SO
NOBODY was much frightened, and the steady
OLD planet sailed around the dangerous point
without carrying away any canvas.
But predicting daily weather seems an
easier task, and we are warranted by the ex-
perience OF ages In depending somewhat
upon our Judgment In this. As far back as
the Hood we find that the rainbow was con-
sidered o sign Of fair weather, and the Jews
were evidently weather-wise, for the Saviour
when 1t is evening, We say. 1t will he
falr weather for the sky is red;
AND In the morning, 1t will be foul
weather today, for the sky is red and lowripg.
Y We hypocrites, ye can discern the face Of
the SKY; but can ye not discern the signs Of
Like this is the saying:
A rainbow at night
Is the sailors delight
A RAINBOW in the morning
The sailor takes warning.
In the old time 1t was said that when the
WIND backed In the storm would come again.
NOW, 1t is understood that when the wind
backs In another storm is following close.
but the sign is the same.
The moon has long been supposed to in
fuence the weather and so distinguished a
man n as Herschel formulated theory upon
In the summer Il the moon cbapoes hatwoon
midnight and 2-Fair.
and =, morning-Cold and showers. y.
a8, Wind and rain.
% .. ~. Manageable
~ ~ Frequent showers.
T.. Z !, af's'1oon- -SssysE Es'Py;
9, Fair. "''e'
8, Fair If wind NV
10 !. Rain if S or SW.
~ IL, Fair.
In the winter II the moon changes between
mil In VfTh q N