The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-07-16
TIE HEAVENS ABOVE AND
THE EARTH BENEATH

TIE HEAVENS ABOVE AND |
THE EARTH BENEATH.
It is announced that within a |
few days interesting experiments
are to be made, at some point in
the arid regions of western Kan
sas, to produce rain-to compel the
heavens to give their wealth pro-
ducing moisture at points most
needy, and where the showers will
do the most good.
A Washington correspondent of
a st. Louis paper says that, under
the direction of the department of
agriculture, a scientific force, with
sAln outfit of 'three score balloons,
each 10 feet in diameter when ex-
panded; likewise about 100 kites,
5 feet high, a freight car full of
wooden mortars to fire bombs from,
and many thousand pounds of dy-
Mantle, nitro~glycerine, and other.
powerful agents for agitating mo-
ture with spasms will shortly move
westward. y y A conve-
nient and excessively arid plain
will be selected for operations, and
the wooden mortars will be plant-
ed across it in drills, as it were, for
distance of about two miles,
They will be loaded with dynamite,
rackarock, and other materials CAL
culated to agitate the atmosphere
as much as possible, while at suit
able intervals of space the balloons
will be arranged for ascension. ST.
multaneously fight of kites will
be let loose in the air"
When the balloons are in posi-
ton they will be exploded by
electricity communicated over the
wires which will hold them. The
balloons will be supplemented by
great kites, each of which will be
held by a doubled wire instead of
a string. Their tails will carry ex-
plosives, which will be set off in
the same manner as the balloons.
For two days, and perhaps longer,
the mortars will belch forth their
bombardment of the skies, the
balloons explode their oxy-hydro-
gen, and the kite tails will give out
their fiery tribute, and then the
exper'menters will raise their um-
brellas in expectant attitude for
the response from the clouds.
OF course there is no certainty of
success in this experiment. Moth
ing succeeds but success, and sue
cess only comes after experiment
aud sometimes from experiments
oft repeated. But for adventures
of this sort no progress or useful
discovery would ever be made. In
these experiments the agents Of
the government will be guided by
the scientific knowledge hereto
fore gained. II 'ne efficacy of ex-
plosives in producing rain can lie
demonstrated, communities Of far
mers might Institute neighborhocd
experiments, at a cost slight CON-
pared with the benefits to crops
which tim ely showers would confer
upon the, land. OF course there
are no cad of wiseacres who pre-
dict failure in these efforts, but
we SHAY all know more after they
are made than we do now.
Thi, correspondent also says
that I'm appeal will be made to Con-
gress for appropriations to bore a
hole into the earth several miles il,
depth. With all our geological
atj ailments, and mineral acquisi-
tious, only a superficial scratching
Cf the surface Of the earth has ye,
|5een made. The vast mineral stores
jcf the earth are as yet untouched
So far no adventurous drill has
penetrated more than a mile below
the surface. Metals, coal, gas and
oil, await our quest, as the new
continent did the ships of Colum
bus. All far reaching experiments
must be made by wealthy and in.
telligent nations, or by large cor
porations with immense capital
BY liberal enterprise the world:
wealth is increased. Let liberia
portion of our surplus go for tn
increase of knowledge andthe dis
covery of new sources of wealth
We are greatly obliged to ou
Worthington correspondent fo
specimens of growing corn, wheat
and oats, which indicate that thi
years harvests, in all probability
are the largest and most valuabl
ever produced by the farms of tn
county. Specimens of growing
wheat from Mr.. Chatfer's place
formerly Mr.. Moulton's,) show
growth Of four feet of straw, tn
heads filling out we'll, and the stal
free from rust. It was sown O.
sod, we'll prepared by the pulve,
izer. It promises a yield of 30 t
IS bushels per acre Samples {
oats from the farms of Mr. Pete
son and Mr.. McKillop measure fiv
feet in height we'll headed and tt
oats nearly ripe. The yield ca
not be less than from IS to 40 busI
els per acre. Mr.. McKillop's oa
were sown on sod we'll pulverize
aud Mr.. Peterson's on old groun
A sample of corn from from M
E. s. Terry's farm measured ov'
four feet, is of good color ar
promises we'll. Where rust h,
appeared it has not seemed to k
the berry. Where extra care h'
been taken in preparing the sc
and in seeding, the rust has n
appeared in the wheat.