Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-11-05
SHOOTING AWAY STORMS.


ago reported to the state department
that French and Italian proprietors Of
vineyards had in convention assembled,
expressed themselves to the effect that
the cannonading OF storm clouds had
proved most effective means Of pro-
lection against their destructive force.
The statement was received with
great deal Of Incredulity, but the
French and Italian yiticulturlsts new
ertheless believe In the correctness Of
their theory. Consul Covert again re-
ports thar a congress will be held at
Lyons next month, on which occasion
the subject will be further discussed.
1t seems to be the desire Of the promo
tiers OF this gathering that American
agriculturists be well represented at
the congress.
The consul states that for the last two
years experiments have been in pro-
gress In northern Italy. with most
gratifying results. Hallstorms, 1t Is
said, have been successfully combatted.
and some estates well provided with
cannon operated by competent men.
have been completely free from the
dreaded scourge, while in adjoining ter
rItory entire crops have been destroyed.
The efficiency Of the new system, he
continues, has so impressed the public
that the government now sells powder
at half price to agriculturists for hail
cannon, while network OF stations has
been established all over northern Italy.
where farmers may obtain cannon for
temporary use at a nominal price. II
seems to be now generally conceded
that local storms can always be sue
cessfully combated, while high storms
travelling with great rapidity over wide
areas are much more difficult to cope
with. The limits within which the
cannon will be efficient have as yet TO
be determined. Some argue that the
shots are effective only TO an altitude
of 900 meters (9si feet), while others
claim that their range Is much higher
II will require long experiment to set
tie many points and TO teach the cul-
tiyator how far he can depend upon
his weather artillery. But even the
partial results obtained up to the pres
ent have fully INDICATED the not in
significant expenditure of time and
money.
The consul points out especially that
II is not the peasantry but the wealthy
and well educated proprietors who have
directed these experiments. Possibly
they have not been conducted under
circumstances entirely satisfactory 10
scientific criticism, but people noted for
conservatism and good judgment have
nevertheless accepted the results as
satisfactory.
The deliberations Of the coming gath
ering at Lyons should at least deserv,
attention. II It is possible to artihcialls
break up tornadoes and thunderstorms
on land, as II Is said 10 be demonstrated
that angry waves are stilled by oil
poured upon them, the fact will be
worth knowing 10 all tillers Of the soil
who live in storm-strioken regions. II Is
well known that farmers Of some coun.
tries in times past used to ring bells
at the approach Of storms. Possibly
they had observed that noise had the
effect Of scattering the lowering clouds.
II so. shooting should be more effec.
tive than ringing. In this country ex-
periments have been made to ascertain
whether canncnading would not bring
storms. These have not met with much
encouragement. In France, the success
seems 10 have been entirely in the op-
poslte direction. as II the charlots Of
the ,hundergod were too frail for moo.
ern implements Of war