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THE SOUTHERN WORLD, MAY 15,1882. 9 The Weather. What has the Signal ser vice Done for the Farmers? The article in the issue of the Southern World, of date April 15th, 1882 on “Weath er in Agriculture,” is an able one. It bears the mark of keen perception of one of the greatest needs of agricultural industry and points out the method of securing this. Ex perience teaches—if nothing else does—that the weather is just as important to the suc cess of the farmer as the soil he tills, or the seed he plants. But do you not overrate the accomplishments of the Signal Service ? For as massive a system as it is, and as ex pensive to the public, really what has it done that actually benefits the farmer or can benefit the agricultural class ? Your very excellent and elaborate editorial discloses nothing on tills point. For years I have watched its progress and have failed to see any good it has done for the farmers, or anything that could fairly be construed as likely to result in an advantage to this class. I am well aware that the bureau claims much in this direction, that its pre tentions have been enlarged of late,but upon what grounds of actual result I cannot see. I nave no wish to do the bureau injustice; I would not see it abandoned; its service to science is important; but all assertion of its benefit to agriculture, to me, appears ut terly groundless and without even the sem blance of plausibility. You must pardon me for being somewhat amused at a few of your comments on the weather bureau. You expect “some good for the farmers before 1982.” Qreat good ness! no doubt, but rather indefinite as to quality and quite limited in prospect for the husbandman of the present, even the youngest of them. Your comment, liowev er, is founded on the fact that the storm can be foretold, at least the largest storms. What good does that fact promise the far mer? He don’t want storms, but if he did and a knowledge of them before hand could benefit him, are you quite sure he can de rive such a knowledge os is necessary from the Signal Service? I have great doubts on this point from the actual test of the bu reau’s forecasts. I will give one fact to il lustrate the whole, and as it occurred about the time of this writing it cannot be urged that it was selected especially to meet this point. The bureau's weather for this State for the 21st and 22nd of April was: “Fair weather, higher temperature.” Heavy rains, higli waters and considerable fall in tem perature happened. The rain evidently ex tended over a large area. At this season it hardly ever rains harder for the same length of time; the thunder and the lightning were terrific. But if this storm had been foretold it would have announced itself about as soon as the bureau could have done so. "What are we to do about this ? Sim' ply tell the truth aud not be upholding an absurdity. Granting that we have got hold of storms in all candor and honesty do you believe that the Signal Service has done more thun to furnish data to prove what others have known and announced before it? I under take to assert that this point in meteorolog ical science is confused and falsified by the ignorance of the weather department about it. A simple problem that should have been mastered long since by the bureau with its expensive and complete outfit for solving just such problems, should have been set tled years ago by the data. How long has it been since this knowledge has been given to the public? Not until quite recently and then only half the truth has been told and in such a way as to make the whole false. As stated it is unreliable and not true. Common sense with correot observa tion would however, have suggested the truth. "At least it has been determined that the larger and therefore, most important ones (storms) come East from the Hocky Moun tains, while a small percent originate in the Gulf States and move Northeastward over the Atlantic States.” You say that the Sig nal Service has by means of the telegraph etc., developed somewhat the law storms. If what I have quoted above is all that has been developed about storms by means of its great agencies at work, amounts to absolutely nothing. Its data is undoubtedly correct as far it goes, but it don’t go far enough. It utterly fails to de velop any knowledge of the laws of storms among the wise men ot the Washington Sig nal bureau. A simple statement of the truth will show the absurdity of thiB claim, whloh so far os it contains the element of truth was known and better understood outside of the bureau than within its circle long be- tyre it asserted it, The atmospheric tide wave always moves Eastward. Remember this is my statement made months ago. It makes no difference whether the tide is sweeping North or South its motion is alwayB Eastward. It matters not which way the wind blows these waves pass off the Atlantic coast either within or above or below the boundary of the United States. It is unnecessary to go into this subject minutely to tell all about the rain belts and local storms. Suffice it to say for my purpose that the great tide wave is, as it must be, circular. Its Northern rains or belt is the cold wave, its Southern the warm wave. The former gives us our Northwest paroxysms, intensified by mountain ranges; the latter, our Southwest paroxysms. The former debouches from the Northwest driv ing in and dipping down from a cold to a warm atmospheric stratum,and most general ly passing off our Atlantic coast, South of a middle line in the United States; the latter moves Northeast, as rapidly, rising as it touches the colder atmospheric strata, and if does not pass off our coast in a Southern latitude will usually be felt in New England or about the lake region as a Northeast storm. The Southern paroxysm is not felt North so often simply because it either passes off our coast nearer the Gulf by the elastic dip of the Northern paroxysm, or is lifted above tbe eartli as it enters regions North of lower temperature. The Southern and Northern paroxysms interchanges in their movement around the earth and about the vortex of the great atmospheric tide wave. If I have* succeeded in making this part of the subject plain, I think you will do me the credit to acknowledge, that my criticism of the Signal Service was not conceived in malice. Geo. R. Gather. Ashvile, Ala. we invite the attention of the “Wise men of the Washington Signal Bureau.” We claim that they know much about these matters, and it may be that this is the very law for which they are blindly seeking. We do not think the above criticism of the Signal Ser vice by Mr. C., was conceived in malice; if it had been, it would, doubtless, have taken different form.—Ed,] The Boy’s Heart. Get hold of the boy’s heart. Yonder lo comotive comes like a whirlwind down the track, and a regiment of armed men might seek to arrest it in vain. It would crush them and plunge unheeding on. But there is a little lever in its mechanism, that at the pressure of a man’s hand will slacken its speed, and in a moment or two brings it panting and stilt like a whipped spaniel, at your feet. By the same little lever the vast steamship is guided hither and you upon the sea, in spite of adverse wind or current. That sensitive and responsive spot by which a boy’s life is controlled is his heart. With your graspgently and firm on that helm, you may pilot him whither you will. Never doubt that he has a heart. Bad and willful boys very often have the tenderest hearts hidden away somewhere beneath incrusta tions of sin or behind barricades of pride. And isyour business to get at that heart, get hold of that heart, keep hold of it by sym pathy, confiding in him, manifestly work ing only for his good by little indirect kind nesses to his mother or sister, or even his pet dog. See him at his home, or invite him into yours. Provide him with soiuo little pleasure, set him at some little service of trust for you; love him; love him practically. Any way and every way rule him through his heart. [We thank Mr. Cather for his high com' pliment of the editorial “weather in agricul ture,” in a recent issue. If it bears tile mark of keen perception of one of the greatest needs of agricultural industry, and points out the method of securing this, it has a full measure of that which it was our purpose to present. It does not seem to be our mission to prove to everybody that everything is either wholly good or wholly bad. Mr. C. has failed to see that the United States Signal Service lias done any good to the farmer, and has given up all hope in that direction for the future, and yet he would not have it abandoned because its service to science is important. What is science? Nothing more or less than class ified knowledge, and when the signal service adds to such knowledge it will be upon sub jects that most interest the seaman and the farmer. Whatever is of substantial benefit to science is of value to the race, and all the importance of the signal service to science is a benefit to the race. We claimed “some good things for the farmers before 1982," to which Mr. C. answers, “no doubt!” but be cause we do not predict just what those good things are to be, we are holding out but little hope for the husbandman of to day. “Rome was not built in a day’’—but the “Eternal City” ruled the world. We claimed that the movements of the larger storms can be foretold with a larger measure of accuracy; to which our friend complains that farmers do not want storms, and if they did, the signal service would be a doubtful help. A case is given where the prediction was wrong. It was not claimed that the Bureau made no mistakes, only that its predictions were much better than no predictions. If any one can do better than the signal service in this work of foretelling the weather, he should receive such encour agement that the county may not lose a mo ment of his most valuable service. Mr. C. says, granting that we have got hold of storms," etc., and asks us if we believe they have “done more than to furnish data to prove what others have known and an nounced before it?” We have been living with the strong impression that the signal service, in all its ramifications, was and is observing and investigating to find out new facts and principles in meteorology. If Gen. Hozen was appealed to for an answer to a question like this, he would reply that he is at the head of a great body of truth-seek ers and not endeavoring to furnish data to prove the truthfulness of any so-called “weather prophet.” We are sorry that be cause the Weather Bureau has not done more, it must be said that its work amounts to absolutely nothing. “Its data is undoubt edly correct so far as it goes, but it don’t go far enough.” This reminds us of the man who finding he could not know everything, would not know anything. Mr. C. closes with a statement of the movements of the “tide waves,” to which Bermuda Urass. Ed. Southern World—Tell your corres pondent, J. H. Harris, of Gold Hill, Ala, not to be so stingy of his information as to Ber muda grass. I,ct ns have “the details of his management and mode of propagating;” we prefer to have it in respectable sized dishes to taking it by the spoonful. It will not trouble” tlio intelligent readers of The World. • Query. Wo liaie noticed several commu nications in the Southern World on the subject of onion growing; and in your last number, one on “onion sets." As to grow ing onions remuneratively, there can be no question, if you could save them when grown until marketed. The writer had some ex perience just after the war on this subject, having planted aboutone-quarter acre. They were taken up when the tops began to fall, showing maturity and spread out in a place wherever we could find a place for them in the piazza, under the house, etc. But it was a daily business to get rid of the decaying onions, and gcwhillikins! whatanassailment of the olfactories. In self-defense, we sold as quick as possible, at the nearest depot what was left—75 bushels of sound onions. We are satisfied we raised on the quarteracre, 125 bushels, which puts at rest the question of profit in the business, but for this trouble of rot. If the Southern World will tell us how to keep onions in this climate, until they can be marketed, it will deserve another hundred subscribers, which we think it al ready deserves. Another question: What mokes tho onion button? The oldest men and women in this country have different theories. The seed make the sets, the old onion makeB the seed, what makes the button ? Hodges, S. C. J. N. C. The Weevil. Editor Southern World—Of course dif ferences of opinion will be, and in this free country none can or should molest; yet no harm in an attempt to put some differences in the balances, and thus perhaps bring on unity. My experience is the weevil depos it]) the egg in. the soft and tender grain, whether it be corn, peas, bean, the sorghums or the millet; even tbe worm in the chest nut or chinquapin, the egg of which is de posited when the fruit is soft. The Creator is too wise to err, and does not give instinct to flies to deposit eggs on cotton seed for cutworms to cut through the hull, get strength to eat up the crop manured by cot ton seed. The young must have food adapted to its wants, and the babe has the mother to provide. The corn weevil in the South, is perhaps the greatest evil of all the weevils. Many have said genuine flint corn is best, because so hard, on the idea that the weevil deposits the egg on matured grain. I have taken an ear of flint corn, enveloped in paper, small end open, .In ufhlch sulphur was placed, shaken, jostled until full, closed up, another paper applied close, another and another, tied up and placed in a desk. At planting time not a perfect grain. I have long ago plucked an ear from the stalk and shown the “doubting Thomas,” the corn de stroyed at the end. I planted the white and the red Dhoura, Duns, over forty years ago and had a fine stalk and head as I ever saw, but the weevils destroyed tne stalk. Peas, beans, etc. for seed I put in bottles, with a small piece of camphor, corked up, too much will destroy the vitality of the pea. I have also saved with lime corked up. In my youth I lived in a Scotch-Irish community for two years, sent there on ac count of feeble health—a pious and cleanly people who were good to the sickly boy. All small farmers, and we had corn shuck- ings and good suppers; the corn was stored in small houses called cribs, the top not put on until after a rain, then laid on and held there by weight-poles. Thus corn was wet and the moderate heating in bulk destroyed tlie egg—I saw no weevil. My lionses were 12 or 14 by 18; 12 feet be tween sill and plate, Cyprus shingle roof. The loss was terrible if the corn was housed in dry weather; usually we housed when cotton was too wet to pick. I tried sassafras, and walnut without any good. I tried to sprinkle all the corn when hauled in; a stout man was detailed to get water and with a little bush to sprinkle liberally. I suc ceeded. About 1840, when the multUaulus fever struck my people, a friend bad invested a small pile, was badly stung, and requested me to take as large a lot as 1 could take with two nice horses, behind my barouch. To “see wliut I could see,” I sent off for silk worm eggs, had frames made by my carpen ter, twine crossed inch squares, and put in standards as high as I could reach, to draw out as drawers. 1 fed the worms, reeled silk, made many fishing lines, gave to friends and sent specimens to the patent office. A great number of cocoons were put in a tight box and camphor put in and the worm was killed. Thus I learned to kill weevil eggs in peas and beans. H. J. N. The lady teacher is a lady in the true sense. One who isgentle, kind and sympa thetic, possessed of a dignity of manner, propriety of language and goodness of heart. She becomes then emphatically a teacher. , Her natural taste induces in her a hearty and.*, unfeigned devotion to her work. This docs not necessarily imply either an uttered or expressed vow to spend and be spent in the school-room. Few women have ever made any such vow. To make it would be unwise, if not sinful. But it does meun putting into her work while her work is hers, the best of heart, bruin and body that God lias given to her, as opposed to the rest less lingering upon the coniines of the school-room, waiting for the timo to pass, any way, any how, so tliut that the register indicutes another month gone.—[Arkansas School Journal. So great is the influence of a sweet-minded woman on those around her that it is al most boundless. It is to her that friends coino in seasons of sorrow and sickness for help and comfort; one soothing touch of her hand works wonders in tho feverish child; a few words let fall from her lips in the ear of a sorrowing sister, does much to raiso the load of grief that is bowing its victim down to tbe dust in anguish. The husband comes home worn out witli tho pressure of bus iness, and feeling irritable with the world ii^ general; but when he enters the cozy sitting room and sees the blaze of the bright fire, and meets his wife’s smiling face, he suc cumbs in a moment to the soothing influ ences which act as the balm of Gilead to his wounded spirits, that are wearied with com bating with the stern realities of life. Tbe rough schoolboy flies in a rage from the taunts of his companions to find solace in bis mother’s smile; the little one full of grief with its own large trouble, finds a ha ven of rest on its mother’s breast; and so one might go on with instance after instance of the influence that a sweet-minded woman has in the social life with which she is con nected. Beauty is an insignificant power when compared with hers. The past season has not been a favorable one for the lumbering Interest in the Upper Mississippi valley. Tne cut of 1882 is esti mated at 240,000.000 feet, being 00,000,090 less than was anticipated. Including what was left over last fell, the available supply for tbe sawing season of 1882 Is 295,000,000 feet’ or 15,000,000 feet less than at the samq time last year,