The Washington times., 1922-04-09

while the rainy periods ara. on
the contrary. grouped around shs
years in which the sunspots reach
their maximum. This observation
has held good ever stncs the dis
covery Of solar spots after the re-
invention Of the telescope in 1910.
In India II IL q matter Of rec.
ord that famines follow this
eleven-yesr cycle DR.. Meldrum
~ long ago a. 1879 called attain
tion to the fact that the numbsr
of cyclones. ternpeets and ship
wrecks In the Indian ocean varied
according TO the activity Of the
sun.
CURIOUS EFFECTS.
Turning to regions of higher
altitude we observe curious of-
fects. Wherever the climate h
distinctly continental, the eleven-
year fluctuation OF ths spots un-
questionably affects the distribu-
ton of rain. In ether words. the
abundance of oceanic evapora-
ton in the years In which sun
spots reach their maximum in
tensity leads to heavier rainfalls.
But why is II that In the re-
gions where the action of the
ocean makes tie climate more
even the eleven years' probation
is much less MAJ ked? Because
for q really marked increase in
the rainfall q still greater riss Of
solar temperature is necessary.
and this only occurs in every
third cycle Of eleven years. After
two normal solar cycles the orb
develops q super-hcat. II seems
TO acquire fresh intensity and
vigor. This phenomenon occurs
about every thirty-fourth year.
and the abnormal increase OF heat
intensifies the rainfall In nearly
every region of the earth.
This fact can be clearly proved
by tracing the rain curve for any
given place. the tropics excepted.
Observations have been taken in
the British Isles. in Belgium,
France. and India and in more
than thirty American observa-
tories. and always the same re-
suit has been obtained. Practf-
caliy this leads to two alternative
periods. one 'rsfny and one dry.
each averaging about seventies
years. I say averaging, because
solar cycles are not vigorously
constant. Some have been known
to last only eight years. while
others have exceeded the mean
period of eleven years. In west
ern Europe. since the beginning
Of the nineteenth century. they
have experienced four rainy
periods and three dry ones. a
fourth dry period bassn IN lyS.
II my conclusions are correct the
present dry period win last until
1895.
RAINY SEASONS RECORD.
1t win be objected that accurate
observations OF rainfaIls scarcely
date back century. But are we
justified in asserting that this
system of alternating cycles viii
continue indefiniteiy7 Certainly,
because we have exact informa-
ton extending over q much
greater number Of years than fivst
appears. 1t is true that recording
instruments are q recent invcn-
ton. but have we not at our dis
posal the big lakes which from
time immemoriai have acted an
natural rain-gauges7 All great
rainfalls are marked there ~
clearly az upon our yearly
registers. To lakeside popula~
tons the rise or fall in the level Of
n lake-as, for instance, Lake
Neuchatel. the edges of which
are not very deep-is a matter Of
the utmost importance. for 10
means that large tracts Of land ore
submerged or left high and dry.
Therefore the inhabitants on the
shores OF the big lakes OF Switxer-
land have a vast store of knowl-
edge regarding the variations In
the height of the sheet Of water
which reflects the condition OF the
atmosphere. With the hclp Of
Swiss records. In particular. 1t y
possible to go back over . thou
sand years, and to prove con-
clusivcly that the rainy end dry
periods have alternated sesshin q
cycle averaging from Ry-four
TO thirty-five years. lold~
Basing my knowle6,~ upon
these principles. was she Win
out the slightest hesitation to
forecast. for the inforrastlon OF
French agriculture In ish, that q
rainy period was beginnfng which
would reach It's climax shout lsi1
and thereafter would decrease IN
intensity until 1918, M. conGlu-
sions were published b many