WEATHER-FORECASTING.
[TO THU EDITOR OP THE " SPILOTATORrl
Sin,—Whatever advances meteorology may have made as a. science, it seems abundantly clear that it has not arrived at a. point of much practical utility, so far as forecasting the weather is concerned. You called attention lately to Mr.. Jenkins's weather-prophecies, which seem serious enough, but' see how utterly they have failed us this month,—may the
demned outline" for June, July, and •August be equally fallaCious He prophesied a warm and dry May. So far, we have had, barring two days' fierce heat, a cold and wet one, anda how many of us, whose hearts were cheered when looking at. the immense bloom on all sides, felt happy in the, idea of a, "warm period from the 14th to 24th," I fancy the oldest. inhabitant, whose memory is so often in requisition, does not remember a more fearful period. Here, where we are 56113.. only above sea-level, we had from 100 to 150 of frost,, every potato and kidney-bean cut down ; currants and goose- berries frozen on the trees ; all the splendid set of apples and pears destroyed; and the oaks, ashes, beeches, planes, and walnuts made to look as if a scorching fire had passed over them ! There is one point about the weather that has struck me much, and that is,—Why is it that the twos have leen so web. and the fours so hot and dry P—for were not 1812-22-32,42-52-
62-72 and 1882 years of abundant rainfalls, and 1804 to 1884 hot and dry ? Is there any reason, moon-cycle, &c., to be alleged for this P—I am, Sir, Scc., P. POTTER. Overmonnow Vicarage, Monmouth, May 20th.
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