To Check Hail-Storms.

Southland Times, Issue 19725, 27 January 1906, Page 4 (Supplement)

To Check Hail-Storms.

The farmer has to suffer many disadvantages of both air, and soil, and the clouded sky is sometimes as hostile as that which .reflects a lengthy drought. Reference is had to the hailstorm, the dread of the farmer in some cases and the especial dread of the fruitgrower. Hence it may he of service to mention the hail-cannod of the French vigneron, for its value, lies in the fact that it has been- used frequently, and has hardly ever failed to do good work. The cannon >s shaped like an inverted cone. as shown in the picture, with the owner holding the firing string, and stands (ift. Gin. above its tripod, this being another three feet and well embedded The gun is loaded with a cartridge containing blasting powder, and an authoritative description of what it does is given in the following >- ' !1 ' ! I

The detonation is very loud. As soon as the gun is fired (by means’ of ( an old-fashioned lanyard) the flame is visible at the mouth of the gun, followed immediately by a wreath of smoke. The action of the powder on the a>r is represented in the sketch which shows a side section of the funnel of the gun at the moment of explosion. A represents amoke-rings in the course of formation, and B the ejected rings. When the vincgrowers see the clouds forming end Die weather is hot, they prepare for a change. If the clouds are moving rapidly their direction is changed or

( the movement stopped by firing. One I cannon protects nearly *75 acres, and I the expense of a shooting station (or a season is about £lO. Three explosions per minute are said to bo sufficient to prevent the formation of hailstones, but if the peril seems unusually great the number and rapidity of the explosions are increased.