MAN-MADE RAIN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22512, 16 December 1947, Page 7

MAN-MADE RAIN

INDIES* CROPS SAVED CLOUDS BOMBED WITH ICE NEW YORK, Dec. 1. Man-made rain ended a nine weeks’ drought in the rich La Vega agricultural area in Dominica (West Indies) yesterday and saved food crops of an estimated value of between £3,000,000 and £4,500,000. Claiming this, the Dominican Republic Information Bureau said that heavy rain fell for several hours after squadrons of the Dominican air force bombarded moisture-bearing clouds over the area with dry,ice. The ice was chemically treated with a formula prepared by scientists of the San Domingo University, and the Dominican Agricultural Department. The operation was the climax of a series of experiments begun in September. The United States Weather Bureau said if it were voted £150,000 it would try to discover whether scientists really had mastered the art of wringing rain from unwilling clouds. A proposal that that sum be set aside for experiments is contained in a bill introduced in Congress by Representative Sid Simpson, of Illinois. He said if efforts to make rain last summer had succeeded it would have meant millions to farmers. The chief of the Bureau’s Social and Scientific Services Division, Dr. Harry Wexler, said, “There has been a lot of experimenting. We would like to make a year’s observations to find out whether stations should be established to detect rainfall by radar.” Dr. Wexler was unwilling to admit the experiments so far had caused rain—at least, no more than a mere sprinkle. “Meteorologists accept that the fact that you can create a light sprinkle, but the important thing for agriculture is drenching rain to soak into the ground.” Dr. Wexley thought Dr. Irving Langmuir, Associate Director of the General Electric Company, was too optimistic in believing appreciable amounts of rain could be produced by spraying clouds with water from a plane.