The Promise of Science 



and fens point the way. Already in the vineyards 

 of Italy theie are batteries of hailstorm guns, 

 funnels that fire a vortex ring of air and break 

 up a threatening hailstorm, so that it dissipates 

 into rain or disperses entirely. This sounds like 

 a fairy tale, but is after all no more wonderful 

 than the shattering of waterspouts by cannon balls. 

 At present, efforts at rain making are unavailing. 

 There is — or was — a reward offered by one of the 

 Australian States for anyone who could bring 

 down rain and the boon would be incalculable. 

 There is an idea that gun-fire brings down rain. 

 It is said there have been storms of rain after bat- 

 tles but this is not authenticated, and we have 

 no knowledge of universal rainfall near testing 

 grounds where guns are fired heavily for long 

 periods. If anything should be done it would 

 be by imitating Nature, producing an uprush 

 of cold air, or some such means, but the thing 

 is doubtful. Elaborate experiments have been 

 tried for fog clearing. Some time ago, near 

 London, an attempt was made, with the aid 

 of the L.C.C., but failed totally. Still, some- 

 thing may be done in the fog and cloud clear- 

 ing; the latter would be most useful to farm- 

 ers, allowing the sun to sec their crops by an 

 adaptation of the hailstorm gun possibly, or 

 some use of electricity. This latter agent may be 



