Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-06-10
MERELY SUPERSTITION
PEAsANTRY IMAGINE FIRING OF
cANNoNs KEEPS OFF HAIL.
Prof. Moore Issues Statement Rc
garding Experiments Made
In France.


Washington, June 10.-The extern.
sive reports of United States Consul
Covert, at Lyons, France, relative to
the success of cannon firing France
as means of protecting orchards
and vineyards from hail storms, and
also for the purpose of mitigating or
multiplying the effects of frosts upon
vegetation. have prompted numerous
inquiries by horticulturalists in this
country as to when, If at ALL our gov.
eminent would adopt similar methods
of protection.
Prof. Willis L. Moore, the chief OF
the weather bureau, acting under di.
rection of Secretary Wilson, there.
fore has issued TO the press the fol
lowing statement.
After an examination of all that
has been published during the past
two years, my conviction is that we
have here to do with popular de.
fusion as remarkable as is the belief
in the effect Of the moon ON the
weather. The unedueated peasantry
of Europe seem to be looking for
something miraculous. They would
rather believe in cannonading as 4
means of protection and spend on it
abundance of money, time and labor
than adopt the very simple expedient
of mutual insurance against the
losses that must inevitably occur
The great processes going ON in
the atmosphere are conducted on too
large q scale to warrant any man or
nation in attempting 70 control them.
The energy expended by nature in
the production of a hail storm a tor
nado or rain storm exceeds the com
bined energy of all the steam engines
and explosives in the world. 1t is
useless for mankind to combat nature
on this scale.
After the experience that this
country has had during the past 10
years with rainmakers | am loath to
believe that the bombardment of hail
storms viii ever be practiced or even
attempted in the United States, much
less encouraged by the Intelligent por-
ton of the community. Every effort
should be made to counterfeit the
spread of the Italian delusion which
has been imported into this country
by Consul Covert"
Consul Smith, of Leghorn, says that
Italy is making constant progress in
the development of its manufacturing
industries, especially in the northern
section. A more extended market is
offered for American machinery and
tools. Consul Cramer, of Florence,
notes among the imports from the
United States into that section bicy-
cles, leather, tools, locks, cotton, oil,
tobacco, agricultural manchines.
dynamos, watches, asbestos, corn.
salated meat, lard India rubber goods
and books
Consul Heingartner, of Catania,
says that American revolvers are find
ing a large sale in Sicily; also our
sewing machines, lard and lubricating
oils. The Catania branch house of a
sewing machine company sold TIA ma
chimes last year. Shocks also are ar
irving from Maine in large quaint
ties.
Consul Johnson, of Venice, notes
that the Paris exposition was the
means of bringing the improved Amer
lean printing presses to the attention
of local journals, which are now in
stalling the new apparatus.
There is a demand in Venice for oil
cloth and stoves, and the consul re-
grets that merchants who have writ
ten to American manufacturers of
these articles have received no an
swer.
Consul Jarvis says that Milan is de-
yeloping rapidly and is in a prosper
GUS condition. When the Simplon
tunnel is opened business will be still
further improved. American agricul-
tural machinery, he adds, holds the
market in that section of the country.
More of it is used than ever before
Traction engines, not yet introduced,
would find market if of one cylinder,
20 effective horse power, and of not
more than 13 tons gross. The sale of
cash registers and typewriters is in
creasing. Many of our canned goods
are found on the shelves of the lead
Ing grocers.
There is chance for American
stoves of a cheap pattern, also for
leather both raw and made up as
betting, trunks and shoes. The trade
in office and house furniture could be
extended, and American cutlery and
machine tools for iron and wood in
dustries would find a market.