The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-12-15
A PULLING CLIMATE,
The Curious Way Rain Falls II
Halmy Honolulu.
A pERPLExING SPECTACLE.

Hawalfs climate 10 the new arrival
Il the matter Of rainfall. You begin
70 experience this perplexity before
YOU have set foot on the dock at Homo.
lulu when you consult anxiousiy with
your fellow travellers as TO the advisa-
nllity OF digging out an umbrella or
rainproof before you 80 ashore, The
chances are that you are all convinced
that the heavy veil OF black clouds
which shuts out portions OF the moun.
tain scenery from view and the few
drops OF rain which the fresh shore
brecxe tlashes In your face like dash.
ing Jewels torn from that bit OF rain
bow are warnings too plain to DO TX.
nored. and you prepare accordingly for
the downpour which seems imminent
You observe with some surprise that
none OF the wearers Of the dainty cos
tunes you pass on the street appear 70
be In the least perturbed by the possi-
hillry Of getting caught in the impend.
iag shower until after awhile 1t dawns
ON you that the storm keeps right ON
impending nothing more AS you
ride in a street car along the tlashing
seabeach vivid with color Of break.
lnr surf and Of flowers In trees and
hedges along the way. the sunshine
never appeared SO brilliant, But on to
the left In a beautiful little valley
tucked like q deep pocket IN the noun
tains and seemingly scarcely half a
mile away there can be no doubt Of
the fact that a good. heavy rain Is fall
ng. The sunlight striking through
me falling drops fills the valley with
A glory Of broken up rainhows--a riot
Of color that causes one to gasp and
exclaim In admiration. There can be no
doubt that the rain we have seen fall
ing Is real and that II Is as near as 1t
seems, for the wind now and then car
ries refreshing dashes OF 1t into the
omen car, causing a few OF the passen.
gers to change their seats to the oppo-
Site side. But still the street is per
fectly dry and the sunshine a. bright
as ever.
Five minutes later we leave the car
at me foot Of a great jagged pile OF
volcanic rock that marks the vent OF
a prehistoric volcano, and the red base
and sides which support a stunted.
mesquite-like growth and q few cacti
look as though they hadn't had a good
shower for six months. And they prob
ably haven't
In time one learns that Hawaifs ell
mate Is purely a matter OF locality
that the report Of the rainfall for any
given time, published by the United
States weather bureau, does not mean
for every place hi the territory nor for
the island OF Oahu nor even for the
city Of Honolulu, but only for the
place where the rain gauge stands. II
would not be true for a place half or
three-duarters of a mile away. One
learns that be may live in Honolulu
under very different. conditions as to
precipitation, according to location. In
some OF the valleys rain falls practl-
cally every day Of the year and varies
in amount in different parts OF the
same valley, which may be only a mile
or two long. There are other sections
in which the splendid lawns and bow
ers Of green foliage which surround
beautiful homes are only possible
through constant irrigation. And there
are to be found almost every degree ol
moisture between these extremes.
Like everywhere else, one finds peo
pie Of every turn of mind In Honolulu
as to the most desirable places II
which to live. In sections where the
rainfall may amount to two or thret
hundred inches per year vegetation
tlourIshes most luxuriantly and with
minimum Of attention. There is alsI
an absence Of humid feeling in the at
mosphere or disagreeable dampnesi
which one usually associates Will
much rainfall. This Is accounted To-
by the fact that the rain comes II
showers, Of which Il dozen or mOF'
may come in day and may occu
while the sun Is shining brightly
while the never falling trade wind
and a porous soil dry up the snrfac
moisture within few minutes after
shower has passed. The heaviest pre-
cipitation also usually occurs at nlgh'
In the dry sections, If one has pient
Of water with which to irrigate tan
, Honolulu has splendid system OF wa
: terworks with ample supply, one ina
more easily control what he woul
, grow and ut the same time escape u
Inconvenience Of oft occurring snow
crs. Some Of Honolulu's most beaut
ful residence districts as well as tn
beautiful Kapiolanl park, one Of ID
c most beautiful tropical gardens IN III
;, world, was originally barren san
plains, practically devoid Of vegeti
ton aud once thought to be worthless
The newcomer is often puzzled to hes
IN old resident refer to "the plains
when speaking Of section Of the cit
ia which are located some Of II
most magnificent homes and beauti-t
] grounds in the whole territory.
n The variation Of rainfall. togeth'
i with the difference in temperature az
to elevation, give to Hawaii divers
i ty Of climate that can scarcely
annalnd In fhe world. lacking only