Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-24

The next generation of the govern
ment's forecasters. who anticipate the
variable moods
First Manual of of the weather
Weather Prophecy. i nna often IN so save aU.
in a single week thousands of lives
and millions of dollars worth Of prop
| erty, are to have an easier time mas
tering their science than did the vet
Grams now in active service for the
weather bureau. The latter are pre-
pairing the first manual of forecasting.
| so far as Is known. that has ever been
prepared in any country Of the world.
| Forecasting weather conditions Is
comparatively a new science. and in
many ways it has had greater and more
successful development in the United
States than elsewhere. The experts
now barring the secrets as to our future
weather. and doing so with remarkably
small percentage Of error. practically
have made their own science as they
went along. There have existed nu-
| merous treatises on general meteorol-
| ogy. but in these there has been lit
| tie to assist the forecasters in Their
demonstrations The rules that now
Guide them in their work have. there
| fore, been laboriously worked out from
| actual experience and careful observa-
| ton.
| While the science of forecasting was
in it's formative stage this personal as
meet of the work was practically the
only possible one. but now. the weather
bureau believes. the work has reached
that the working rules may be advan-
| tageously crystallized and put in per-
I manent form. 1t is, Of course, expected
that there will be constant progress in
l ha dot Jc ~ =, tna ANTI NJ
eorecasting. and that other editions Of
| the forecaSter'S manual will be neceS-
saw from time to time.
The manual will not be for general
| distribution. but Is being prepared for
the use Of the weather bureau staff.
| especially those who have not yet
reached the grade of district fore
caster. but who forecast for their inn
therefore. in technical form and will
nresuppose a thorough knowledge Of
the science Of meteorology and general
weather lore.
| The manual will begin with a dis
| "ussion of air circulation. which is the
| "anse of all weather changes. and this
will lead to treatment of the dozen or
| more kinds Of storms that traverse the
| United States. These type storms ap-
| near over and over again and are like
old acquaintances to the expert fore
| casters. In the manual will be set out
\ their characteristics and moods and
| 'nst what may be expected of each Of
| them. They are classified by their re-
| zion of origin as Alberta Canada,
! Ttorms, north, central south Pacific
| "torms. West Indian storms and SO on
| The manual will then pass to discus
sion Of hot and cold waves and the
oearance. Chapters on rain and fair
| weather, heavy SHOWS, sleet billiards.
| md fog will follow.
| The work OF Dreparing the manual
Of forecastine was ASSIGNED to a COM
r'ittee composed Of the five district
| Torecasters and the two forecastinp ex-
| merits on duty in Washington. They
| have been at work on the manual for
more than two years. and every prin-
| cin1e that is embodied in 1t must sur
vive the fire If their periodical discus
| sions. Each item muat finally he passed
| on nv Charles F. Marvin. chief Of the
weather bureau. himself a forecastAr o.
ability. The book will be printed with
| in the next few months.
| Large animals and plants, though
their economic Importance is most ap-
| parent. are not
Studvinp the by any means
Neutrality-suspicious.. that are eive eo
careful study by the government. A
l
ganisms. almost infinitesimal in size.
that exist near the dividing line be-
tween the vegetable and animal worlds.
The principal government work of this
sort Is being carried on by the labora-
tory Of microbioloev of the bureau of
| chemistry. and consists largely of in
| vestigations of the development and
| effects of bacteria and fungi on the
| foods of men and animals.
:, 1f1 &,xfo MI
| in the Affairs Of man is little under
| stood outside technical circles. but as
! a matter of fact certain industries are
| practically dependent on "beneficent"
| fields millions of dollars are lost an
| nuallv because of the destructive
activities. of the tiny organisms.
Among the industries in which the
work Of bacteria and fungi is Of major
| Importance are brewing. tanning,
bread making. cheese making and the
manufacture of such products as
vinegar. pickles and sauerkraut. While
| most of the problems in these indus
| tries have been solved, some still pre-
sent themselves and are being at
tackled by the government experts in
| micro-biology.
| The more important projects now
under way at the laboratory, however,
| have to do with attempts to reduce the
| staggering present loss of food prod
| ucts from growth in them of micro
| organisms. The studies in progress
! range from the deterioration of cereals,
especially cornmeal. in storage to the
spoilage of the contents of silos. Nota-
BILE results have been secured from the
| studies of the effect of micro-orgs
| iSms on oysters, many of the phases
~ the rar11ir, OF this food having
| been practically revolutionized as re-
suit of the work SO far performed
| ~
| Since a forest is made up of trees.
the average logical layman who is I'M
| familiar with the fed
Especial Use eral forest service, both
| in its Office work and it's
| 1e1lAlIS. field management of the
great forest covered national domain,
probably thinks of this branch of the
government as having to do exclusively
with trees and timber. AS matter OF
fact, whether the layman be primarily
| a producer or a consumer, and what
ever business he may be engaged in.
the chances are that some activity that
closely affects him is being carried on
| in one of the numerous national for
| ests. For the forest service. through
the existence of nearly 10000 special
use permits issued by 1t, authorizing
hundreds of various commercial, civic,
philanthropic and scientific activities
within the forest borders. co-operates
in large and varied number of enter
| prises.