Southern planter - The W&M Digital Archive

1859.] THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 395
offer at this day to the traveller the site of
ruins which attest their past greatness, in
the midst of desolation. Canaan, described
in the Bible as a fertile country, " flowing
with milk and honey," is now nearly deprived
of vegetation, and presents a scene
of almost uninterrupted barrenness. The
climate of these countries is undoubtedly
modified by the present state of the surface,
and might again be ameliorated by cultiva-
tion, and, were the encroachments of the
sands of the desert stayed, by borders of
vegetation of a proper character. Many,
parts, even of our own country, which now
exhibit a surface of uninterrupted sand,
may be rendered productive, or covered
with trees and herbage.
A series of observations on the progress
of temperature below the surface, in different
parts of the country, and even in different
fields of the same plantation, would be
of value in ascertaining the proper time to
introduce the seed, in order that it might
not be subjected to decay by premature
planting, or lose too much of the necessary
influence of summer, by tardy exposure in
the ground. This may perhaps be most
simply effected, by burying a number of bot-
tles filled with water, at different depths in
the ground, say one at the depth of 6
inches, another at 12, and a third at 18
inches. These, in the course of time, would
take the temperature of the earth in which
they were embedded, and would retain it
sufficiently long unchanged, to admit of its
measurement, by inserting a thermometer
into the mouth of the bottles.
No improvement is more necessary, for
rendering the art of agriculture precise,
than the introduction into its processes of
the two essential principles of science, namely,
those of weight and of measure. All
the processes in our manufactories, on a
great scale, which were formerly conducted
by mere guesses, as to heat and quantities,
are now subjected to rules, in which the
measure of temperature, and the weight of
materials, are definitely ascertained by reli-
able instruments.
The foregoing are general views as to the
great principles which govern the peculiari-
ties of climate, and especially that of the
United States, the truth of which, in reference
to our continent, and the modifications
to which they are to be subjected, are to be
settled by observations in the future.
In order, however, that the science of me-
teorology may be founded on reliable data,
and attain that rank which its importance
demands, it is necessary that extended systems
of cooperation should be established.
In regard to climate, no part of the world is
isolated ; that of the smallest island in the
Pacific is governed by the general currents
of the air and the waters of the ocean. To
fully understand, therefore, the causes which
influence the climate of anyone country, or
any one place, it will be necessary to study
the conditions, as to heat, moisture, and the
movements of the air, of all others. It is
evident, also, that, as far as possible, one
method should be adopted, and that instruments
affording the same indications, under
the same conditions, should be employed.
It is true that, for determining the general
changes of temperature, and the great
movements of the atmosphere of the globe,
comparatively few stations of observation, of
the first class, arc required ; but, these should
be properly distributed, well furnished with
instruments, and supplied with a sufficient
corps of observers, to record, at all periods
of the day, the prominent fluctuations. Such
stations, however, can only be established
and supported by the cooperation of a combination
of governments.
A general plan of this kind, for observing
the meteorogical and magnetical changes,
more extensively than had ever before been
projected, was digested by the British Association,
in 1838, in which the principal governments
of Europe were induced to take
an active part ; and had that of the United
States, and those of South America, joined
in the enterprise, a series of watch-towers
of nature would have been distributed over
every part of the earth.
* * * *
These observatories were established to
carry out a series of observations, at the
same moment of absolute time, every two
hours, day and night, (Sunday excepted,)
during three years, together with observa-
tions once every month, continuing 24 hours,
at intervals of five minutes each. * * *
The comparisons of these observations are
still in progress, and will occupy the attention
of the student of magnetism and me-
teorology, for many years to come. The system
was established more particularly to
study the changes of the magnetic needle,
and on this subject alone, it has afforded information
of sufficient importance to repay
all the labor and time expended on it. It