290 THE LURE OF THE LAND 



TBANSFEB OP WEATHER OBSERVATIONS FEOM THE 

 SIGNAL SEEVICE. 



We should remember, too, that the Signal Service 

 is still in its infancy, and that the maximum of scien- 

 tific skill has by no means been reached in the inter- 

 pretation of its data. But in spite of its infancy and 

 consequent lack of perfection, its predictions are already 

 quite reliable and receive everywhere a due amount of 

 credence. 



It is true, also, that storms which are vast in extent 

 can be more certainly and sooner predicted than those 

 merely local. But with the increase of signal stations 

 even the latter will be foretold with almost absolute cer- 

 tainty. 



Then the next difficulty which science has to remove 

 will be the one connected with the distribution of these 

 indications among farming communities. The mer- 

 chant in the city, at breakfast, glances at the indica- 

 tions in his morning paper, and, in accordance with 

 their predictions, either takes his umbrella to his office 

 with him or else leaves it at home. But the farmer in 

 the country has not this opportunity of deciding whether 

 to cut his field of clover or not in the morning, with 

 the expectation of getting the product under cover be- 

 fore night. This is not a proper place to discuss the 

 means by which this information is to be conveyed. It 

 could be easily done by the telephone and fourth of 

 July flagstaff. Danger signals of an approaching storm 

 could easily be placed so that they could be seen by 

 every farmer before beginning his day's work. Or in- 

 stead of the flagstaff, signal guns might be employed, 

 and gunpowder and cannon thus be trained to serve 

 the arts of peace instead of the furies of war. It will 



