Evening star., 1933-08-20

Coast might, in some respects, be on
another continent SO far as weather
phenomena are concerned Mr. Reeds
studies have been devoted to the more
typical regions of the country, but it is
entirely probable that similar data can
be assembled as to the differing por-
tions.
The rule Of persistent abnormalities
extends to precipita ton as we'll as to
temperatures In four out of five cases
when June precipitation has been 21a
inches above normal, the average July
temperature has been well below nor
NAL and also subnormal as to rain
fall. This has been found to hold truA
over the entire Mississippi Valley.
The importance of establishing these
data can scarcely be overestimated
because of the immediate effects of
temperature and rainfall on the corn
and cotton crops at this particular sea-
son Of the year. The June-July period
is emphatically the growing season in
the Mississippi Valley and marked de-
partures from the norm can affect out
turn, and therefore crop prices. far
more than the actions of Congress or
the National Recovery Administration.
Length of Weather CurveA
Studies with particular reference to
Wisconsin have established that exceSr
sively cold or excessively warm JAM
uarys-both abnormalities-will be fol-
lowed by dry Februarys-another ab-
normality. While more minute study
seems to have been given Wisconsin, it
appears that the rule of cold Februarys
following cold Januarys holds through
out the Upper Mississippi Basin, along
the Great Lakes States and even to
PnyyoIIdo Thic oil orpljec fn tho
Pacific Coast States and, leaping the
Pacific Ocean, to Manila, in the Philip
pines.
What Mr. Reeds finding establish
are the length of these weather curves
The observations do not indicate that
solid hot Junes or solid cold junes will
be followed by solid hot or cold Julys
The weather curve of cold June will
move slowly and gradually, the temper
atures dropping progressively as the
time advances. Then they will rise
through July with equal deliberation,
producing an average lower tempera-
ture for that month. THE point is that
period Of abnormal weather does not
suddenly come to an end. 1t is not
like the end of thunder shower when
the nirnbus clouds pass swiftly away
and the sun bursts forth anew. The
process is long and slow When abb
normality sets in it can be depended
upon to run its course with continuing
lower or higher temperatures, as the
cases may be, or greater or less precip-
itation. Two months seem to be an
approximate normal term, and there is
no hurrying the process.
Such thing" said Mr. Reed, con-
corning his findings, lis of vast agri-
cultural and commercial Importance
Thus, at the close of an abnormally
/ cod January il would be ths best sort
of business to keep trainloa-3s of fuel
moving into Iowa. Again, ntild jan
uary indicates a large number of eggs
going to market from Iowa in Febru-
ary, and cold January the reverse"
The commercial Implications can ioe
related to every State in terms of the
produce of those States on the one
hand and their consumptive needs on
the other Both farmers and mer-
chants can benefit by governing their
planning in accordance with these OBJ
servations. While the Cloud Compeller
cannot be regulated, the habits into
which He falls can be intelligently
observed