WEATHER WISDOM. 3 1 



dN'es. The ancients seemed to have employed galls for 

 these uses also, and Plin}- tells of their additional value as 

 medicines. But he evidently had little idea of their ori- 

 gin, referring to them as the second fruit of the oak be- 

 sides acorns. It is thought Josephus ma}- have alluded to 

 galls when he mentioned mad apples or apples of Sodom, 

 fruit fair to the outward view but, when plucked, turning 

 to dust and ashes. 



Chicago, July 13, 1903. 



Weather Wisdom. 



BY WILLI AIM H. HUSE. 



" When one can talk of nothing else he talks about the 

 weather," is a remark that must have started with some 

 heartless cynic. It is often true, however, whether ap- 

 plied to the ordinar}' conversationalist or him who would 

 win fame by predicting the weather for months in advance. 



The foundation for such far reaching prophecies is usu- 

 ally the positions and phases of the moon and planets, as 

 if those celestial bodies did not have troubles enough of 

 their own without being held responsible for terrestrial 

 weather. Much is always made of the so-called changes 

 of the moon, as if the moon changed any more at one time 

 than at another. The influence of the planets, millions of 

 miles away, is still more difficult to understand : and most 

 difl&cult for the uninitiated is the fact that a certain phase 

 of the moon will produce fair weather in one section and a 

 storm in another. 



Our countr}' covers considerable territor)-, to say noth- 

 ing of the rest of the world, and there is usually quite an 

 assortment of weather on hand at an}' one time. Conse- 

 quently the weather prophet is usually safe. If his pre- 

 dictions for a given period are fulfilled in any locality he 



