The herald., 1894-04-16
A GLANCE AT TIE SEASON.

Weather representations in Caiifor.
mia, especially in years in which the
rainfall ia Tot normal, are rarely worthy
OF serious attention. Nearly every bod y
has theory which is deduced from the
notable experiences of some one or more
former seasons. But as there are no two
seasons alike, and as the variations are
go many and so irrsgulsrly divergent, it
is folly to forecast the weather from any
particular data. If we had the exact
record of the rainfall for great number
OF seasons, which We have not, one
might deduce some approximately GER
tain law or principle governing the me-
teorological changes that would afford us
e general and partially reliable guide
But to say that because we had dry
season in 1873 or any other year, and
that the rainfall began early in the
season, then stopped for several months
and came down in good showers as late
as May, we may count upon the same
general kind OF weather any other year
that presents similar characteristics, is
delusive. We may have copious rains
late in the month OF May. This has oc-
Cured, but it may not occur again, and
il is 100 to it would not occur in the
season We were most in want of it.
In looking over an old file Of the Los
Angeles Star, we see by the issue of May
27. 1858, that this section at that
time was in the throes of
heavy rain storm which had
lasted for several days and flooded all
the streams. Perhaps such storm so
ate in the season WAS never known to
occur before and never since. OF course
it is possible the experience of 1853 may
be repeated this year, but it ia hardly
probable. What is the most likely TO
occur is that we shall have a few late
showers THE year-enough, probably, to
tide mesa farming over aud to give half
a crop of grain in good places and soms-
thing more in the best. As we write
the atmosphere is humid, tho horizon
dense with clouds and the zenith por-
tentous of showers. We have not lacked
for similar signs for several weeks, and
yet they have not been followed BY
rain. OF all the old weather maxims
none applies more truly to our section
than that in dry seasons all signs fail.
Yet the feeling of the atmosphere as we
write has very moist and rainlike Pc
culiarity aboutit. Ordinarily we should
say it will come down copiously before
morning. Bat the signs may again fail.
We ought to have at least three or four
more inches bsiore the season closes.
The record of previous years warrants
us in confidently looking for it. If we
shall be so favored this season may not
truthiully be classified as C dry year.
In the poverty Of pluvial dispense
ton in the valleys, we can turn to the
mountains and behold with great satis-
faction that the fall of snow has been
generous. Our great storehouse for
water for the irrigation bitches during
he crucial summer months is we'll sup.
piled with SNOW, and this is an assur.
ance that the irrigators OF this section
will not be short of water to raise their
usual crops. or to lrrigate their trees.
This is feature OF the season we can
we'll congratulate ourselves upon; for,
after all, our best and most valuable
crops are those that are raised from ir-
rigsted plantations. There will be an
inevitable shortness in the spontaneous
grasses, and that will be severe upon
stock. But il the mesa farmers can only
secure half crop of grain, they will per-
haps fare pecuniarily better than if they
had an exuberant harvest. Grain
prices got so low in the past year that it
WAS said illustratively that the more
the farmer raised the poorer it made
him.
The universal judgment now is that
we shall have q phenomenal fruit har-
vest this year. II this judgment is COR
rect 1t Will make great amends for any
shortness there may be In grain. Fruit