Year: 1865

The constant succession Of storm and


sunshine existing between the Rocky noun
tans and the Atlantic seaboard, is a sub


iect of much interest to all persons engaged


in agricultural pursuits. \ few hints and


the statement of few facts, may afford
some light and remove many existing errors


in reference to the atmospheric changes,


commonly called the weather All the


changes which take place in the animal and


vegetable Kingdoms result, in connection


with the atmosphere, under the direct or


indirect agency of the sunlight. Rain is
one of these results The action of the


sunlight produces the great atmospheric


currents which exist in different sections Of
the globe The trade winds pass from the
tropical regions over the caribbean sea and
the Gulf of Mexico into higher ATTITUDES,
moving within the tropics from southeast
to northwest, and after passing the tropics
from southwest to northeast, and iii higher
intitudes from west to east 50 that there
exists a constant current over the eastern
portion Of the North American continent,
sweeping around over the western portion
of the eastern continent and thence back
within the tropics


At some point within this vast aerial
whirlpool there is always existing a storm.
the warm air from the southwest commin-
Cling with the colder air Of higherl latitudes
condense and forms clouds and storms. In


the progress of these currents the action Of
the sunlight produces a vacuum which is
the actual cause of the storm. The eXis-
tence of this vacuum is indicated by the fall


Of the mercury in the barometer but more
! certainly by the wind.> So soon as the va
4 he ~, oil
| tresses in to restore the equilibrium The
combining Of these currents condense the


vapor, clouds exist and the ordinary phen-


omena of the storm. When the equilibrium
| is restored the storm ceases. The wind is
invariably blowing towards the appIoach-
ing, or following the receding storm. The
direct motion of the storm is usuully from
southwest to northeast, but it has also Il
| lateral movement from the northwest and
| to the southeast, and this results from the
greater pressure of the northwest current,
it acting on the outer margin OF the are OF
the circle The wind from the east, south
east, and south indicates the coming storm.
and sometimes the northeast wind The
southwest wind, west north west, and
north wind indicate a receding storm. 1t
ordinarily requires from 81 to 33 hours f'or
storm to pass from Cairo to New York. s.
soon as the equilibrium Of the atmosphere
is restored, the storm ceases 50 that


storm at Carlo might cease before il would


reach New York


The intensity of the cold after any given
storm depends upon two facts If another
storm is approaching from the southwest,
so as to counterbalance the receding storm,


the cold will not be intense. If the lateral


motion of the storm should be greater than


the direct motion, the cold will be very i'll


tense over the path Of that storm. This


was the case of the great storm of Decem-


Der 81, 1868 in its lateral movement, il
reached Atlanta, Georgia. before the direct


movement reached Philadel phia hence it


was colder at Memphis, Nashville and At
lanta, than at Montreal


have stated these facts from very many
observations, some of which | may give


you, if these remarks are thought worthy


of your notice If the daily press would


give the state of the weather every morn


ing, as it exists in the Southwest and


West, the farmer with the aid Of the bar


ometer, and noticing the course Of the wind,


would not have to look for the weather in


the almanac or the moon