The sun., 1891-07-12
WEATHER FOR FARMERS.
It Will be n Speciality with Uncle Jerry's
Corps Of PrOphets.

It Will be n Speciality with Uncle Jerry's
Corps of Prophets.
Mark ". Harrington. who becomes Chief OF
the Weather Bureau under the Agricultural
Department. has long been student Of
astronomy and meteorology, and hns devoted
considerable attention to climatology. He
was for twelve years professor of astronomy
in the University of Michigan. and for the past
eight years ho has been editor OF the American
Meteorological Journal.
Prof Harrington's first step in his now office
is to have twenty Of the most skilled observers
who have shown marked ability in forecasting
stationed in the larger cities and in various
places throughout the country to make tho
forecasts Sr,",,ss f0r given areas He says in the
that local predicter. in the large cities can,
with tho aid of the daily weather mars: make
those mans Tam IN
=, This must necessarily be the case. other
things being equal; # the local iorecaster has
for the general forecaster. Tor tho local oh.
server has a. narrower field to predict for, and
are not involved In the observatlons lions at the the
How and where tho local forecas.ers are to
lur!Hsr l!!r, increase 9 TINT number.
Prof. Harrington says. is. OF course. Tor the
most, part. the esult OF Inform alton ana prac-
weh DH Il TO eS to to dsSs e IKE
sRgacity In other pursuits. a matter OF mental
mnke;;up which canno! be told beforehand. nor
always precede appolntment TO the general
local forecastinG stations the Hoard should be
SO small as to keen the members In constant
yet that dea Or
+. !roi harrington elieyes in n wide dissem-
inflion OF all data pertaining to meteoroogy.
Libraries &C.. throughout the country. He says:
G. me general weather service OF tho United
the interests o. commerce than to agriculture.
This has been because the needs of commerce
could he more com letey supplied BY general
IN commerce are cong cgated In the great
cities and can be more easily reached It has
ers, as It's predictions OF frosts and floods for
the cotton region and its studies OF torn ndoes,
thunder storms. and cold wavos clearly show;
He further says thai whilo the interests OF
commerce under the new department will be
AS fully considered us heretofore, there will DO
benefit to agriculture BY having he pre- dictions
plnced in The hands Of tho farmer ut the
earliest possible moment
farmer. he says, Is especially interested in
rainfall: and general or vague rreiiction is
local rains" or even that 1t is to be rainy"
does not satisfy his requirements; so far as bis
nre OF very little value to him unle-s they are
precise as to time and place: be needs also 10
know whother the rain Is to be heavy or light
with or without wind: whether the rain is 10
be OF short or long duration. From the point
OF Wow OF tho nEriculturist it is misfortune
that tho prediction of sOme of these features
forms the most difficult feat which the fore
castor has to perform.
Tho climate Of the various States is to re-
ceve specia' study. 1t is the average weather
or climate which determines the agricultural
capacity OF any region. 1t Is necessary there
fore for farmer to understand the climatic |
Q nditions under which he is laboring bOfore |
no can hone for success. Drought iS to undergo |
u careful study as we'll as coudbursts and tor |
lentinl rains: logs. the ineluRlity and distrhu-
ion Of rainfall. Temperature variability over |
tho state. relative or absolute humidity, tho |
distribution OF snow. tho proi ability OF frosts.
the occurrence of porDetually frozen soil. the |
duration OF freezing weather. the hot and cold |
Winds Of many States. the northers OF Texas,
MI the above and many other features appli-
sable to the climate he suggests should be in
trusted To individual students.
The W rk OF the new Weather Bureau at the
The same professors md ndlcations officers as
tlth II. a: Hnzen., G. F. Marvin, and II. Rus
'cll. assistants: Major II. Il. c. Dunwoody
,eads the list OF forecasts officers. alternating
With Lieut.. W. A; Glassford and assistant Prof.
!. A. HsZen. Few changes nro expected at
he various stations. The observers arc for
he most part skilled in local forecasting.