Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-06-20
Farmers and the Weather esrvics.

benefits Of the United States weather
service to American agriculture, appears
in an article In the American Meteoro-
logical Journal for May from the pen Of
its chief editor, Prof NJ. W. Harrington
Of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Heretofore
the weather service has devoted itself
more to the interests OF commerce than
to those Of agriculture, but now that it
has become part Of the Department Of
Agriculture 1t is believed that while the
interests Of commerce will not by any
means be overlooked, an attempt will be
made to render it of more aid to our
| agriculture than it has ever yet been in
the past. While this will add to its
usefulness it will also increase the
amount Of work done, and very likely
add to the difficulties it will have to
overcome. In this article Prof Harring-
ton seems to grasp the subject as per-
tanning to the whole country, in clear,
understanding way, and in short arti-
Gle we can no more than give brief
summary OF his leading points.
The first pertains to predictions OF
storms, especially those of a local nature.
II is of the highest Importance to the
farmer that he should be forewarned of
them with as much exactness, and as
long beforehand as possible; especially
during the hot seasons when these
storms are most common and the farm
er's importance in knowing of them is
most urgent. 1t is of little Importance
that there Is 4 local shower or rain
| several miles away, the farmer wants
| to know ii it will come upon
his own land, or his own hay or grain
lying out in the field, and when. This
is hard thing to determine, but it may
be done approximately by the multiple
cation OF local forecasting stations, and
in an intelligent use, by the farmer
himself Of the indications of the service
| In connection with the indications
which he can himself observe. The
printed forecasts should be placed in
| the hands OF farmers as soon as posi-
Bile the extension Of the mail carrier
service in rural districts as is done in
England, and the use Of the telephone
system after the royalties expire will all
aid in this work.
Climatic features are OF great import
ance. To the farmer they have a per-
| manent, while those of weather pre-
dietions have only passing, interest.
Results Of studies Of climate can easily
be put into his hands before they are too
old to be of use, while this is difficult
matter with weather predictions. Be
sides It Is the average weather or climate
| which determines the agricultural capac
ity of region-sn unfavorable climate
is quite as vigorously exclusive as an
unfavorable soil. 1t is climate which
makes Of one section of our vast
country peach growing section;
another grape and vine district
another vast orange grove
another wheat growing section, and
still another vast grazing region-and
vet climates of states are but little
known to even their own residents.
Among these features of climate, the
drouths, hot and cold winds, distribution
of snow, probabilities of .fcosts, duration
of freezing weather, and many other
problems are of great interest, and
presise Information upon them placed In
the hands Of intelligent farmers would
contribute greatly to the ease and GER
tainty of results in agriculture. All
trustworthy information relating to-
these elimatic peculiarities of different
sections should be summed up in spec
ial climatology for each region for the
use of farmers. Such reports should
tell the exact truth. No rose-eolored
account OF the climate OF any Particular
section OF the country should ever be
published
Again. the relation between plants
soil and meteorology should be well
unde, stood. Studies should be made by
experts on the action OF soil and surface
covering on the meteorological elements
and the corresponding reactions; the eff
fleets of the exposure. inclination, color
and constitution OF the soil; the ground
water and its variations and motions and
the air in the soil and its changes.
Moreover there should be observa-
tons made on the relations Of
the weather to the different stages Of
Developments Of plants. The distribu-
ton Of plants Is also an exceedingly
interesting matter, as their very exis-
tence on any spot Of earth Is key to
the climate OF that spot. The relation
between the various species Of plants
and the climate received mach attention
some years ago In the United States
Agricultural Reports and much impor-
tart information was published concern.
1 1n9 IL: bat with our present sn<,rpa zed