METEOROLOGY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5358, 18 January 1879, Page 6

METEOROLOGY.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —The science of meteorology being in it 3 infancy, and as it is impoasiblo to overestimate the importance of being able to forecast weather, 1 shall feel grateful if you will give publicity to an idea I have for some time entertained on the subject. It is almost certain that weather, of whatever kind, must be the natural and necessary result of weather that has preceded it. Now, for two or three years it has appeared to uic that after six months, more or leas, we have much the same weather that had occurrcd in Europe. For instance, tbi spring and early summer of 1878 in England were exceedingly wet, and succeeded by a few weeks of intensely hot weather, highly favourable for harvesting, but unfavourable for root crops. Here the weather has been similar. Acting upon the induction I have mentioned. I this season, notwithstanding the great wet, planted my small crop of potatoes at an unusually early period, and recommended my native neighbours at Karikari-Karinga, to follow my example, as I feared tbat we should have a year of scarcity from drought (taurakl). I have consequently suffered less from the present excessive heat, which is burning up the potatoes, than those who planted later. To be able to foretell even the probability of a wet or dry season will be of invaluable benefit ; and, now that science has the matter in hand, we may hope that before many years this most desirable power will be discovered. Others may have been before me in drawing this induction respecting the weather in England ; if not, and it should be of any use as a contribution to the great question of meteorology, you will not regret giving it publicity.—l am, &c., J. C. Johxjtone. Te Haroto, Raglan, January 13, 1879,