Year: 1860

comparatively recent origin, already ranks
among the foremost in interest and utility.
Great efforts are made not only by indiyid-
uals and associations, but also by govern
ments, towards its developement The
amount of new facts that are being yearly
added in this way to the stock of human
knowledge, is OF great importance in COM
pleting our understanding of the true char
acter of this residence of man-the globe
which we inhabit, and of our relation there
70. In the efforts for tie advancement of
the science of Meteorology we may per-
haps rank England as first, France or
Prussia second, and the United States as
third or fourth.


This science has made its way, thus far,
against the oft repeated inquiry-"What is
the use of it?' but the spirit of the times
has become too much enlightened at the
present day to be deferred by any consid-
Grafton of this kind, when the enlargement
of the bounds of human enlightenment is
in question. If an Espey or Wise were
now TO propose to produce rain by the in
strumentality of fire, or to cross the Amer
ican Continent and the Atlantic in a bal
loon, he would be no longer laughed at as
an idle theorist. The public mind, in fact,
subordinated and controlled by the wonder
ful Developments Of science far excelling
the wisdom of Solomon, now labors in
quarrying out facts, as it were, from the
mountains of truth, without questioning In
to what part of the glorious temple of
knowledge they are TO be built 1t has
learned to estimate facts as of priceless
worth, and to perceive that they will cer-
tainly find their place in building up some
great utility to man. Since we have seen
that it was a careful examination into the
nervous twitchings of frogs leg that led
as first step to that astonishing system of
nervous tissues, the electrical telegraph, the
mind has learned to appreciate the gemmy
value Of fact however insignificant it
may appear, and now longer asks
"What is the use Of it ?"


1t is not long since cavernous passage
in certain part of France was discovered
to be possessed of temperature very con-
siderably lower than that of the surround
ing air. Although the warm south wind
blew into it, and through it, the tempera-
ture within was almost icy cold. The wa
ters, constantly dripping from the messy
rocks, and being as constantly evaporated
by the warm dry wind, kept the cavern re-
duced to near the freezing point, even in
the warmest months of summer. This
fact, although known in the neighborhood
for long time, was never turned to any
account until it was thoroughly understood.
| The cavern was then made use of for dali
ry purposes,-for the making and presery-
| ing of butter and cheese, and so valuable
| did it become, In this respect, that it gave
rise to village of some FIVE hundred in
habitants, dairy man and women, where
previously there were none. Hence, in
this case the discovery of a single fact
would appear TO have increasd the capaci-
! ty of country for the sustaining of popu-
lation by several hundred souls-the high
est test of utility that could be required.
And we have but little doubt in our own
mind that discoveries are already in pro.
gress that will lead to much higher de-
gree of utility TO France than this. For
her territory is now annually subject to
frightful ravages from hail-storms, by the
prevention of which there would be saved
foom destruction food enough for thousands
These storms are always known TO be ac.
companied by extraordinarily active exhi.
bitions of electricity; and it IS not at all
impossible but on the contrary is very prob
able, that any means by which the electric
ity could be drawn off would prevent the
formation of hail and consequently the ruin
which the hail now produces among the
crops. Perhaps a sufficient number of
/ lightning rods upon some elevated point of
land, like that faces of them, as 1t were,
which rises with their silver points from
the edifces Of our neighboring town of
| Amherst, would draw out the ire from the
blackest thunder cloud as Gordon of bay
onets does from charge of horse. If so
few well guarded points in the higher
lands of France, wapld probably protect
her whole territory from the hail-storms,
just as a house is now protected by single
lightning rod.


With regard to usefulness Of meteorolog-
ical observations to Vermont, aside from an
agricultural point of view in which it is too
apparent TO need more than reference, We
may allude to the subject Qf health. In
climate so variable as our winter climate is,
subject to sudden changes from cold and
dry TO warm and wet, and rles rersq, and
where fevers of the worst kind. as well as
CONSUMPTION seem to be becoming more
prevalent, II is of the first importance that
we should have a thorough knowledge OF
the weather in its bearing upon diseases.