The morning call., 1891-06-02
ACADEMY OF SCIBN CES.
Gift of Valuable Books and an
Address on Hot Winds.

The Academy Of Sciences metIast evening
in the new lecture-rOom. 4 number Of
gifts for the collection Of natural history
and ethnOlOgy vas presented by scientific
collectors in different parts IF the State, and
the library received valuable accession Of
279 volumes on geology and kindred sciences
by gift Of Dr. Gustav Eisen.
Melville Atwood presented a paper on
Opa5 with specimens in the matrix from
Washington. Mexico, Australia and Hun
gary. a brief memoir of the life and char
acter Of the late Professor John LIE Conte
Of the State University was read by IheO-
dore u. Hittell and was ordered spread
upon the minutes Of the society.
The address Of the evening was made by
Lieutenant Finley, in charge Of the Signal
Service, whose subject was The Hot
North Winds" He said that the general
idea of these hot desicCating winds that
prevail in California at certain seasons and
which do so murh damage at times to
orchards, farms and gardens is that they
are of local origin; but he was prepared to
show this idea to be erroneous. lie eX-
planned by means Of a series of charts t hat
the meteorological changes in climate no
ticed In the State proceed from conditions
that are created over an immense area Of
territory that begins among the Aleutian
Islands and that ends only at Mexico.
In order TO have accurate ami timely
warnings Of the approach Of these hot sea-
sons stations should be established in the
Aleutian Islands, at Sherlock, British CO.
lumbia, and be connected bF telegraph with
San Francisco. All this Will require money,
however, which the Government does not
see ut TO provide. Reports are made Tegu-
larry IN British America, but they are not
received here for six months, so they are Of
little practical value. The speaker then
proceeded to show that the hot winds are
produced by certain climatic changes in
this part of the State preceding changes in
the cyclonic centerS Of storm areas, which
are clearly marked and can be traced for
days before their effects are noted at the
various stations.
When certain barometric conditions occur
the interior of British Columbia, Eastern
Oregon, Washington and the interior val
leys Of California are shut off from the
trade winds for days and weeks When the
entire extent of lava beds, alkali plains and
| deserts receive tie full force of the suns
rays, then these hot desccating winds sweep
over the land for three days aud inhct Sc
r!Ous injury to every kind Of vegetation.
| The moment the conditions change a sudden
| fall in temperature takes place. which is
| frequently remarkable for its variation.
Lieutenant Finley said that the only rem
edy for this wind is to plant trees or grass
upon the alkali plains and to cultivate the
lava beds.
If farmers in the interior valleys would
plant rows OF quick-growIng trees for wind
breaks, as was done in Nebraska few wears
ago, there viii be something to protect their
crops. By means of spraying their orchards
! before hot wave reached them, much good
could be done. As for the expense to the
farmer or 0rchardist it would be triflng
when one hot wave has been known to do
! $4,000 damage to a single section. The ad-
dress was received with much favor.