VOL. XXII.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., SATURDAY, MAY 7, 1887.
NO. 19
Written tor the Iniliana Farmer.
THE WEATHER
How and Where Storms Originate.— Importance of the Weather Service.
BT ONE   I.ATK   III'   THK   UNITED   STATE*   MO-
-NA1. SERVICE.
eight hours later when  live observation is
taken again, the eastern edge may be at
Salt Lake City; hence it in possible to
know when that point or edge will arriv e
at the Atlantic mast. That is the hasis on
which the weather is predicted now.
As that storm area travels eastward, for
certain  cosmic reasons,   it often gains In
energy and broadens out.   The moisture
The knowledge in regard   to the  rotary   0f «» surrounding regions   is drawn into
;i storm is center in Florida with its veliM--   ami wheat orope of tin- Northwest are not
ity of translation known, it is easy  to say    Sufficiently    protected,   anil those are the
when   it will   arrive at the northeastern   two great supplies ot the country.
sea-board   and hundreds Of  human   lives
have  been Mved   by this warning which,
when given, has saved vessels from going
to certain destruction, anil iu so doing we
have  certainly been   very oonaiderate of
Written for the tndians Kanm-r.
Planting- for Seed.
HY  N. .!.   SHEPHERD.
While there are .1 ttit<- a Dumber Of crops
foreign snipping,   for we  are protecting   raised on the  farm and  especially in   the
our harbors for the benefit Of foreign   hot-   garden, Of which  it would be no great ob-
law, the circular law of storms, was only  the center  .„„i thai  increase of moisture tonis, because we have protected our own Ject to save the  seed, yet   there are some
known and promulgated by Bspy, I think,  gets aa fuel fed to the flames; it is one of shipping  from  the  seas.   Of course our that it will pay to take considerable pains
about 1840.   That was one of the mostim-   ,tie chief agents in increasing the energy agricultural   Interests are our  safeguard; to   cultivate  so as to receive the best   roof approaching  storms.   The   storm   of we owe more to them  for our  prosperity suits and   then save   the best for seed.   It
course does not receive muoh  moisture In than to any other calling.    They belong to will not pay   to take the leavings.    If you
passing over the  great interior plateaus future  generations but   yet  I do no) see  saves I save the best.   In planning out
and it does not rain much   there:   there is how    we can   take so   much pride in our your work, and when   planting anil enlti-
110 place   thereto  get moisture   from,  for agricultural   greatness.    Our   fertile   soil tivating. take such  pains as   will give the
the Sierra   Nevada   mountains   wring out was given US   through thc   accumulations best growth and yield.    Main   varieties of
the   moisture as   the   storm    passes   over of thousands of years and wc  cannot take plants mix \ cry readily, and ir you intend
them   to the  eastward.    But as  it passes great   credit to   ourselves   for  the  revolt,   saving   the  ■ I   care must   be   taken to
east after leaving the  interior  plateaus it Put us on a sand bank and   I   imagine we plant so that they will not mix.    Squashes,
gains   in moisture.    And    I will   add that would not he near as great as we think w c melons, cucumbers   and   pumpkins   will
Indianapolis is deiermi 1 to be the place are.    It is nature that has made it possible mix    if   planted   close   together,   so   will
vice for obvious reasons,  because the con-   (|U   its longitude   Over Which   the  greater for US to accomplish these gnat results in broom   corn  and   sorghum.    Sweet   corn
ditionsof the weather are   comparatively    per ijentage Of the number of these great agriculture. and   Held corn   01 pop   corn will   mix   if
permanent   there.    I mean   this:    When   storms pass on their eastward way. I believe from my   own knowledge that planted within  reasonable  distance of one
thewet   season comes on,   the  farmer in       These great s.\ stems id circulatory winds it is extremely important that some mens-   another, so   that   care   must  I xeriised
the torrid   zone would  know that  it whs   giye rise to another and more Violent kind nres   should  be   invented  and   put   into in  planting   these.    Hants   designed    tor
going to rain every day; it would not bejcalled cyclones   though   for what reason practice    which   shall   give   the   benefit seed should be given thorough cultivating
necessary to tell   him so;  and when   the j they   are called  cyclones]  do not know; of   these predictions   to our  agricultural sothatfrom  them the growth   and yield
dry season comes, there would be no   ].os-   their proper name is tornado.    These tor regions,    (ieneral   Hazr-n.   our  late   chief   should  be  above the av crane    With corn,
■ability of rain.   The range of temperature  nadoes never ©ecur except in a certain re- officer,   with a   full appreciation   of this potatoes, and manyof the more important
there is very limited indeed, bnt as we ar-   lation to   the storm,   audi   will    tell, you need, invented a system   that is   certainly
another interesting fact:   Tornadoes have an improvement in the absence of a better;
never been    known to   1 or north of the what    1 refer   to is the   State   weather ser-
47th parallel ot  north latitude.   The] oc vice.    It is extremely   beneficial if under
portent steps taken to form a basis on
which to anticipate changes in the weather. What I have to say is in regard to the
need of a more complete diffusion of the
signal service indications for the benefit
of the agricultural interests throughout
the United States.
In regard to the geographical position of
the United States for such work: If this
country was in the torrid zone there
would be no necessity for the weather ser-
rive at higher latitudes other and different
meteorological conditions are found.
We of the United States are in the latitude of variable winds and variable rains.
and the reason we have these variable
winds and variable rains is because we are
in the latitude of the circulatory system
of storms which take place inthe region
of these variable winds, causing what we
call "areas of low barometer." And I consider that state of the barometer in which
storms are wont to follow each other rapidly across the country one of the most
wonderful things in nature. I will try to
give an explanation.
crops it  will    pay to make   the   soil    rich,
even if you are obliged to use commercial
fertilizers.
It is   a well established   fact that nearly
ear only at the south aud southeast ol the   the proper auspices and not made to serve  all varieties of crops  can  be   improved if
the necessary pains are taken. The essentials lor ibis are g I soil, thoroughly prepared, good   seed, carefully   planted, and
storm centers.    Therefore the more son th- private interests.    The Stale of < ihio has a
em states an-brought into  the correct re- state   weather service   organized   b>    the
lation to the storm center lor their occur- State for   the   dissemination   of   weather
rence.    Sometimes in the  summer season predictions over   the Stale   and located at    thorough   cultivation.    Audio   this   may
they    have  advanced    to   the   north,   but the university of the State.     Thai is where    he added a very   careful   selection   of   Ihe
never north of the 47th degree of latitude, the Stale weat her ser vice should invariably    best for seed.
When the cyclones,  not  tornadoes, occur lie; tbe service should always be s function
in the torrid zone they are often intensely of Ihe State, as the United States service is
severe;   August   and  September  ar.- ihe of the United States,
favorite months- Now , as to the dissemination of the sig-
What is the oaRt of the signal  service as nals.   The first idea was to print  placards
We will consider Indianapolis a center nf  Bt present organized?   By law the number and send them by mail out into theeoun-
these rotary winds.   It is calm in the ecu-   of observers in the United States  is strict- try   and post  them for the benefit of the
ter but winds are  blowing on  all sides in   )v   limited to  600.    Now    not only do we farmer.    But   it   took   time   to   do   that.
concentric circles towards that   center be-   have a great country here but it covers an Against the time thai these placards could
Many make the mistake or usim; the
lirsi of peas, beans, tomatoes, radishes,
lettice, and quite a list of plants, and allow
what is left to mature forseed. It re-
quiree   but a  short time   for the effect of
this kind of work to show itself in a lower
grade Of products. The better plan is to select the best, as they grow for seed,not out
of what  is  left  but   the best at first.     Von
cause the air has been rarified in the cen- j immense area ol  territory.   I do not say   be   posted   up   the  danger   had   passed,   want to save the choice of the crop for seed
ter, and as the air is drawn towards that   precisely how much, but Including Alaska   Again, was it practicable that  the  farmer
center the motion of the earth on its axis
causes it not to go directly towards that
center but around it. Hence the fact
which many may not know, that winds
never   blow straight   but always in great
it   cannot   be   less   than   4,000,000   square in   the   harvest   held   should   stop   work,
miles.    What can 500 men do towards fur- hitch up his horse and drive into   town  to
Dishing this nation,   spread over this im- read that placard posted upon the country
mense territory,   with   information al 1 gtore or postofflcef    Certainly not, and the
the weather expected to occur? The act project was finally abandoned.
circles. As the air is drawn in, the inois- of Congress establishing the signal service The idea was adopted of sending tele-
tine which it contains goes with it,and by stated that it was lor the benefit of com- grams to interior points and displaying
the motion of the circles is carried around inerce on the sea-board and great lakes the indications given bj them by means
and diffused through the air. Without and for the benefit of agriculture. I have of flags placed on masts, so that byglano
these conditions niui'h of the United States ,,ften heard criticisms on the work of the ing at such Hags ihe farmer might know-
would probably be uninhabitable, signal servioe; that it was not useful, thai what weather was expected for the day,
1 will show you how easy it is to then- it was not practical, that it could not be and make preparations accordingly. This
rcti.allv predict the weather. These sys- of any benefit to these interests, Onlj plan saves time and that is practically the
terns   of   rotary   winds   in   this   latitude
gl.iHin.iNMi is annually appropriated for the plan now adopted for the dissemination of
service;   yet it is know 11   and proved  that the indications.
on   one sea-board   alone last year, that id That there Is   a   pressing   need   for   the
Virginia,   it has saved $1,000,000 worth of   general disseininati f these indications
property in one night alone, by warning and that benefit coukl be eonferted, bap-
shipping   of approaching storms,   which parent by referring to another instance of
ttie   barometer indicates   the approach of   would   otherwise   have   sailed from  their the work accomplished by the   signal ser-
the eastern edge of a storm  on the  I'a.iiic   secure harbors and been destroyed. vice.    I .ast v .ai w hen the frosts occurred
cast, as il invariably does,  that informa-       It   is practicable   to predict   the coming in Florida, warning of their approach was
tion   is telegraphed   to Washington, and, , of storms.    During the winterseason they given two days in advance throughout the
kuowing  its   rate of   approach from San   often    move   up   from     Florida    through country.    The augur cane  crop in   Louisi-
Francisco,   it is easy   to tell where it will   Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia and ana   and the   cotton crop in the Southern
always pass from west to east. The United
States is much better placed for predictions than any other country in a temperate latitude, for this reason, that it is a
great   country,   2^300   miles   wide.    When
instead of a choice of the leaving.    In the
garden a supply of lettice,radishes,turnips,
peas, beans, melons, squashes', tofnatoes,
and all that class that mature seed the first
year can be saved to a very good advantage. If you secure strong, vigorous plants
and by cultivation induce rapid growth,
the best will give you plants that will mature seed that you can save. With Held
crops, as corn, oats, sorghum or potatoes,
it will often pay to plant a smidl plot foi
Ihe especial purpose of growing for seed,
taking considerable pains to secure the
best growth and then selecting and storing the best forseed. II is a considerable
expense to be obliged to purchase seed of
this kind every spring, and especially so
when by making theprdper effort you
can secure fully as good as what you can
purchase. Hut on no account save the
seed unless you have a very good crop.
Improve rather than allow the seed to deteriorate. If you cannot do this it will he
more economical to purchase seed than to
raise it. But with proper care with quite
a number of varieties   il will   pay to raise
beat   any particular time thereafter.   If   thence northeast, and knowing that when   states  were  partly  saved.    But the eorn   and save your own supply of seed.