THE LAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 104, 3 May 1923, Page 3

THE LAND.

SEBSMSL VSEKTHBI FORECASTING. Although seasonal weather forecasting may not appear to the city dweller to have any commercial value, it is recognised to be of paramount importance to the pastoralist, dairyman, agriculturist and horticulturist. It does not require a great deal of meditation to realise the advantage one farmer holds over another if he can reckon on having a fairly accurate idea of coming seasons and the various peculiarities attaching to same. Numerous and varying instances have been brought under my notice where station owners and farmers have saved considerable sums of money by working their holdings with a view to approaching meteorological events, while as an example of t.he losses a farmer leaves himself open to through the vagaries of the New Zealand climate and neglect to study same, I cite the following:— During 1017, in Southern Hawke'e Bay, a line of stud 'Lincoln ewes were shorn in early October, with the weather giving every indication of an early and genial spring. Within 50 hours of the sheep having been put through the shed a .blustering southerly sprang up, causing a renewal of winter's cold, with considerable snow and sleet. This resulted in more than two-thirds of the sliecp succumbing, the owner thereby sustaining considerable loss through not working in harmony with the varying climatic moods of nature. This example is one of many. Forecasts of the seasons are based on sound cosmic principles entirely different from the data on which the ordinary daily weather forecasts are formulated, and the issue thereof indicates a distinct advance in the science of meteorology. The Universe is plunged in an eternal ocean called the •'ether," and everything i 3 governed by the wireless vibrations thereof, while the great operating factors regarding variations in seasons are the wireless waves from the sun, plus and minus, positive and negative, which permeate the entire solar system. There is a connection as intimate between the weather of the sun on a stupendous scale and the weather of the earth, as if the two Ibodjes were connected by telephone. So they are, but by wireless telephone, and the sun's distance, 93,000,000 miles, to the etheric waves is as nothing, the entire distance being traversed in %i minutes. It takes the earth, however, some time thereafter to become so attuned to or steeped in the changing wave lengths, as to affect the seasons. Our sun is, therefore, the dynamo that governs this earth with its atmospheric normals and abnormals, and the Infinite Dynamo, the Absolute, or God, rules the whole. Bearing in mind then, the wireless basis and the etheric constitution of the entire cosmos, I may now briefly particularise as The sun is operated by wireless from Alpha Centauri (the brightest "pointer" to the •Southern Cross) and is subject to "maxima" and "minima" moods or periodicity of "sunspots." These "spots" are terrific hurricanes and upheavals in the solar atmosphere, which may reach 80,000 miles in diameter, and around them mighty flames of hydrogen leap and play with titanic fury to over 300,000 miles in height. The maximum is when these conditions are more pronounced, and the minimum the reverse. Thus the planet earth sings and hums under the etheric vibrations set up by these solar explosions like the singing spark in the wireless cabin, and they are the main factors, remember, that control the nature of the seasonE. There is not the slightest doubt about this. The extent of the moon's monthly swing in declination producing plus and minus atmospheric tides is the second factor in the problem, and the interacting wireless waves from the other planets of our solar system is the third factor, and a very complicated one Since it is impossible for the human brain as yet to adequately guage the 'infVuon'ce ( of Alpha Centauri on our sun, herein must always be an element of uncertainty with respect to accuracy. But it is certain that etheric or wireless vibrations by corpuscular acceleration and retardation determine the nature of the earth's seasons in any country, and these not only affect the atmosphere, but the very ground itself, and pass through as well as around the zlobe of the earth. The centre of the earth, or its core, is the "nervous system" of the magnetic line which connects the nortti and south magnetic poles, and these electric or radio-active nerve rays emanating from the earth's core are most surely operated by the ether:e or wireless pulls of the sun, and in a less degree by those of the moon and other planets, as aforesaid. Such, then, influence our atmosphere as stated, and produce variations apart from the natural astronomical season. But latitude,, altitude, features of physical g-eography, proximity to the sea or otherwise, are local modifying factors which must be considered in the problems attaching to forecasting the s«ti-j sons of districts or places in any country, and with reference to the prevailing winds. From these subsidiary factors and the nature of the em'th's electric potential, it happens that any given type of season in one country may not at the same time afleco nil that country, or an entire hemisphere, but previously, or subsequently, more or less, in wave-like form. Generally the northern and southern hemispheres respond in opposite ways, and the response in continental countries is usually more marked than in insular localities, i.e., Australia is especially responsive, and Sew Zealand in a aomewhat less degree. In computing these forecasts, absolute aecura-cy cannot, as vet, be claimed because the modifying factors set forth must be taken into] consideration, and furthermore, extraneous cosmic and planetary influences may originate in depths far beyond our solar system and so affect our sun as to considerably upset the normal run of astro-meteorological events. It is possible, however, to anticipate a high percentage of exactitude. It has been mentioned that the response of New Zealand to the cosmic factors before mentioned may not be so marked or »o evident to the casual observer, as to such a one. in the Commonwealth of Australia. This is on ac■xjunt of the strictly insular position and uhysiographical features, governed nevertheless by all tlie potent influence of latitude, "extending from 34deg. 2omin. a,t the N'ortli Cape, to 47deg. lTmin. at Uie South-west Cape on Stewart Island. •Vnd the hills and mountain ranges of i both tlie main Islands so react on the <cinds as to render strictly local fore■vasts of the seasons a difficult matterj' <uid the "funnel!" of Cook Strait pro4ucee further complications. The 'veathcr of the Dominion is mainly ruled by the rymthic- hijth pressure and low

pressure systems*, antveraibjieK eanU cyclones rzspecttsilT, m terfrrtfeal laega*gp, that sweep across men or less from, west to east. A ttipJi pressure system, or anti-cyclone' may be likened to a mound or mountain of atmosphere, md a low pressure system, depression <»r cyclone to an atmospheric hollow, ravine or valley. "Cyclone" does not necessarily mean a hurricane, although «uch comes under the same term. It ■« simply a region of low barometer, and *he anti-cyclone is the reverse. The type of disturbance, that very especially rules both Islands, biit the South Inland more than the North Island, 13 "tno-wn as the Antarctic V-shaped disturbance. These antarctic disturbances are heralded by winds from between X.N.E., N., and N.N.W., with a falling barometer, and these winds thereafter shift through N.W. to W. and S.W., and more to southward as the depression passes away towards the east, the barometer rising again as the wind veers »outh of west. They especially affect all western coast parts south from the parallel of SSdeg.. usually bringing much -am there because the high lands tend *o condense the vapours with which they are charged. And so under any given Antarctic depression it may be raining Ueavih' in western districts, but be finer »n eastern parts. Another type of disturbance is liable to affect the North Island, especially during the early months of the year, and that is occasioned by the southern sides of tropical depressions passing farther south than vsual. Such is indicated by winds from between S.E. and X.N.E., with a steadily falling barometer. East Coast districts worth from Hawke's Bay are liable to these depressions, especially with decrease of latitude towards the North '.'ape. East Coaet floods, within the limits specified, may occur under such conditions. It also occasionally happens that these tropical depressions amalgamate with the antarctic "lows," and at such a time considerable rain, with electric disturbance, is likely. In discussing New Zetland weather, the standard law for the southern hemisphere must be remembered: Stand with your back to the wind, and in such a position the barometer will always read lower on your right hand side than it will on your left hand side. Thus, if fche wind be south, and you stand facing north, you will know that a storm «cntre is passing into west longitude, while a high-pressure condensing system '« approaching the Dominion from the Tasman Sea, and so the law applies to all compass points from which the -wind is blowing. And if the wind is strong, and clouds travelling rapidly, you will know that atmospheric gradients are more or less steep. Here note that if Mie barometer falls half a tenth in half ]an hour, it is a sure warning of a 'langerous blow approaching, and less { alls and longer periods in proportion. This very particularly applies with de--rease of latitude towards the tropics. 4nti-cyclones are maintained by a flowing downwards of colder air, and "Yclones by an uprush of warmer or more rarified air (this accounts for. stock camping in- rising ground), and there «s a most intimate relationship between the two types. So much for general principles "especially applicable to New Zealand. A SIRE'S VALUE PROVED. Mr. P. Bremer, the well-known Okaiawa breeder, recently had the pleasure of showing a number of enthusiasts around his. select herd of Ayrshire?. Messrs Robertson and Blacltley, of New Plymouth, who are establishing a herd at Kent Road, were members of the party, and were much impressed with the yearling heifers sired by Mr. Bremer's present herd sire Raleigh of Ashleigh Park, and were successful in persuading him to sell three of them at a handsome price. Subsequently these heifers filled first and second positions at the Taranaki show in a ring of 17, and also won the class for pairs. The winner, Gltnhope Viola, was also placed first at the Egmont Show in November while* Glenhope Sprightly had not previously been shown. It is also worthy of record that the first of Raleigh's heifers to -come Into profit this season at under two years old have equalled their dams' figures forbutterfat, in addition to taking a leading position in the show ring. ERADICATING THE SCRUB BULL There is much talk of making the eradication of the mongrel bull compulsory. We must bear in mind, however, that compulsion of this kind is rather a serious step to take, and one that requires to be taken with extreme delicacy, although we aH agree that, when we see the last of the scrub bull, it will be an occasion for great rejoicing. In fact, such a course'is rather like infringing on the liberties of the subject. It is a well-known fact that many dairy farmers are not in a position to purchase high-class dairy bulls, although they would very gladly do so if they could; and it such bulls have 'o be purchased, the cost must come out of someone else's pocket. Further, there are very many pedigree dairy bulls that are not one whit better than the scrub. As a matter of fact, I think they are worse because they arc more likely to handi down their weak points, as a resul! of! those- points being firmly established. If we eradicate the one. we mii-L in allj fairness eradicate the other. Till! first thing to decide is where to get tlic| money, and afterwards, where ;o gel high class bulls for every dairy farmer| in New Zealand. Probably the lattei part of the problem will be more difficult to solve than the former. Xo doubt those difficulties can be overcome, but the whole matter requires handling with very great: care. In the dairying business we have to submit to a number of compulsory regulations, and rightly so. because they were made for the protection of the general public, but to talk of compelling ' every dairy farmer to provide a highclass dairy bull without as much as , saying "by your leave.'' and with no idea of how we are going to do it, is foolishness. I am fully persuaded that 00 per cent of Xew Zealand dairy farmers are willing and anxious to have better bulls, but they do not quite know where the purchase money and the bulls are to COme frnm.