154 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



ricanes, and tornadoes in five minutes than all his old fogy companions 

 by their slow methods could in as many years. This furious cavalry rider 

 and charger, this Murat of the skies, we call ''Electricity." We have 

 lately been trying to sober him down to the arts of peace — making him 

 run of errands around the continent, and over and under the seas ; but I 

 don't see that we have made much impression upon him ; he is still just 

 as turbulent and as saucy as ever, every little once in a while. 



Then there is another very grave old fellow, somewhat like gravity, 

 who seems to stand in perpetual twilight, holding a ''j>ole" in his hands 

 with which he keeps all atoms and masses and forces with their right end 

 or motion toward the north pole, and their other end or motion toward 

 the south pole. We call him Mr. *' Polarity." but perhaps we could give 

 him a better name if we could more clearly see who or what he is, or 

 what he is really about. Mr. Magnetism seems to be in some way his 

 confederate and constant bedfellow. 



These are the principal causes or modes of force which have to do 

 with the weather ; and you may be sure that when there is any general 

 row among the elements they will all be on hand, and doing, each one 

 for himself, his level best. In calmer times Mr. Gravity and the strate- 

 gist. General Heat, seem to take the general direction of affairs. 



Now. what is it that occasionally disturbs these various forces, and sets 

 them all in a turmoil and in deadly battle array against each other? Our 

 philosophers, par excellence, will tell you ''it is a law of nature;" that 

 is, that it is so : for this is all that the phrase law of nature can mean in 

 answer to such a question. That is : you ask why a thing is so, and your 

 philosopher, very smilingly, and with an air of infinite self-satisfaction, 

 replies that "it is so because it is so." Prof. Tice replies that the dis- 

 turbances of force upon this planet are produced by the necessary action 

 and reaction of like disturbed forces u])on other planets. Now, if this is 

 true, it is, at least, some rational answer : it jjushes actual research back 

 one step into the dark, and brings actual knowledge to light : its truth or 

 falsehood can never be decided by discussion, but only by renewed 

 observation. 



Should it pro\e true, it will al.so then be true, as 1 understand it, that 

 one of the greatest and most usefiil discoveries of modern times was first 

 broached and discussed 1)\ him in this Horticultural Society of Illinois ; 

 and T claim for vou the honor of giving him so wide and broad a tolerance. 



It is too soon for either party to dogmatize or declaim in this matter. 

 Candid men everywhere confess to me that Prof. Tice has hit the changes 

 in the weather, beforehand, by some means, during the past season, more 

 nearly than any other man that has ever tried it. This looks as though a 

 certain cause was found which is in fact master of certain periodic 

 changes, is it so? On any rational theory of the action and reactions 

 and interchanges (^f forces no possible philosophical objection can be 

 urged against it. On the theories of the books, which alternately roast 

 and freeze all being, what chance is there for an) other weather than polar 

 frosts and liell lires ? Undoubtedl) upon this theory the best thing we 



