PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 127 



municated to the club in regard to insects which are destructive 

 or injurious to vegetation. 



Mr. Carpenter moved that a committee he appointed to attend 

 the Strawberry exliibition at Hammonton, N. J., on Wednesday, 

 May 30th, 1866, at Avhich an invitation was given to the club at 

 the last meeting. Adopted. 



The following committee was appointed: Messrs. Greeley, 

 Trimble, Lawton, Quinn, Robinson, Carpenter, Ely and Todd. 



Adjourned. 



May 29, 1866. 

 Prof. S. D. Tillman in the chair. J. W. Chambers, Secretary. 



The Barometer. 



The following letter from Mr. David Petit, Salem, N. J., was 

 read by Mr. Solon Robinson : " In your discussion of 24th of April 

 hist, the utility of barometers, as indicators of the weather, was 

 again brought in question. Although one of your club believes 

 that depending upon barometers is all stuff, and that the Almighty 

 sends his rain when he will ; and that we can only guess it is 

 coming, permit me to say in response, I do not question the fact 

 that God rules the universe, nor do I question the fact that the 

 elements by which we are surrounded, are governed by the same 

 l>ower, but by fixed laws ; and if these laws are not comprehended 

 by some would-be wise men, that is no evidence they do not exist, 

 nor is it any evidence of insanity in those who search out these 

 laws. Your reporter says : ' The rules as laid down in all scien- 

 tific works, and cards, and advertisements of barometer-makers, 

 are utterly fallacious,' and admits it w'ould be beneficial to base 

 our calculations opposite to the rules laid dow^n, in which view 

 one of your club coincides, and suggested that farmers should 

 communicate the result of their observations, whether they were 

 able to foretell the state of the w'eather, days or hours in advance. 

 In which view I heartily agree, and send the result of my observa- 

 tions. The great difficulty has been that scientific men have all 

 based their calculations on false premises, and then attempt to 

 bring the elements and the barometers to square with these false 

 premises. They have started with the false notion that rain is 

 C4iused by the attraction the earth has for the clouds, when they fly 

 low — as they do with a light atmosphere, consequently it must 



