30 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Jan. 1. 



the loug-range predictions of the almanacs, except 

 only that in all cases the authors make free use of a 

 system of general and rather indefinite terms that will 

 apply just as well to a thunderstorm, a hurricane, or 

 an earthquake. The warning, " Look out for some- 

 thing very unusual about this time," is, of course, not 

 a meteorological prediction, and not nearly as definite 

 as the railroad signboard, "Lookout for the engine 

 when the bell rings." 



Our readers may remember that I declared 

 with some vehemence that a knowledge of 

 astronomy does not warrant scientific men or 

 any other class in declaring that they can pre- 

 dict a whole year ahead what the weather is 

 going to be. Now, the above, from the 

 Weather Bureau, throws a little light on the 

 matter. Even though I can not understand 

 how maps showing how the motions of the 

 planets should help one in making long range 

 weather predictions, I can see some sense 

 and consistency in claiming that God gives 

 " inspiration " to certain persons; but estab- 

 lishing the claim of this inspiration would be 

 quite another matter. "By their fruits ye 

 shall know them." If a man who claims to 

 be inspired keeps using the stereotyped phrase, 

 " Look out for something very unusual," etc., 

 I should demand that he tell beforehand what 

 the " unusual " thing is to be. If his follow- 

 ers declared, after it was past, that it meant 

 dry weather at one time, floods at another, a 

 blizzard, or unusual heat for the season of the 

 year, etc., I should reject the "inspiration " 

 theory. Wouldn't you? In regard to the 

 question as to whether the combined science 

 of the present age gives any encouragement 

 to these long-range predictions, permit me to 

 quote just two sentences from an article by 

 Prof. Willis L. Moore, chief of the U. S. 

 Weather Bureau, in the Forum for May : 



At the present time I know of no scientific man who 

 essays to make long range weather predictions; and I 

 would especially caution the public against the im- 

 posture of charlatans and astrologists, who simply 

 prey upon the credulity of the people. 



I believe it to be impossible for any one to-day to 

 make a forecast, based fairly upon any principles of 

 physics or upon anyempiic rule in mete< rology, for 

 a greater period than one or two days in winter, or for 

 more than two or three days in summer, 



While we are on this subject, permit me to 

 say that I have been reading the questions 

 and answers in the Cleveland Daily News and 

 Herald for more than a year back, and I have 

 been both pleased and surprised to note the 

 soundness and correctness of answers covering 

 almost every realm of science, geography, and 

 history. If the Herald has one man who can 

 answer so well every thing that a world of 

 people propound, he is certainly a scholar. 

 Well, in a recent issue somebody who was 

 curious in regard to this weather matter pro- 

 pounds the following questions: 



1. On what are the predictions of certain almanacs 

 based which tell what the weather is to be through 

 the \ ear in advance ? 



2. Why does not the United States Weather Bureau 

 employ the prophets who do this work, and so get 

 predictions a long way ahead ? 



3. What connection is there between the weather 

 and the changes of the moon ? 



Below are the three very sensible answers : 

 1. Vaiious systems, all no better than guesswork, 

 except as they take account of the known probable 

 duration of "'"dry spells," "cold waves," "heated 

 terms," and the like, are used. The predictions rest 

 en nothing mere substantial than a sort of loose prob- 



ability that the weather will change at about the 

 stated intervals. 



2. Governments aim to get as far as possible away 

 from guessing in their scientific departments. 



3. None, so far as known. 



SOMKTHING FURTHER IN REGARD TO THE 

 LOSS OF MR. COWAN'S CHILDREN. 



The following is copied from a leaflet just 

 received from Mr. Cowan. 



" Death is swallowed up in I 'ic/orv." 



" Underneath are the Everlasting Arms." 



" This is the Victory that overcometh the World, 



even our Faith ." 



IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE 



OF 



HELENA MARY 



AND 



HERBERT FRANCIS COWAN, 



who were taken home in the 



Wreck of the " MOHEGAN," on October 14th, 1808, 



on the " Manacles" near the Lizard, on the 



Coast of Cornwall. 



Their bodies were recovered the next day, absolute- 

 ly uninjured; and the beautiful, calm, holy expression 

 on each of their faces proved that death for them was 

 an entrance into life eternal, and the Everlasting 

 Arms were indeed beneath and around them as they 

 were carried and tossed by the relentless waves 

 amongst those tenible rocks, and laid perfectly un- 

 harmed upon the shore. Their bodies were laid to 

 rest at Budock, near Falmouth, almost in sight of the 

 scene of the disaster, to await a joyful resurrection. 



In addition to the above I take the liberty 

 of making a brief extract from a very kind 

 letter from friend Cowan himself in regard to 

 this sad event : 



Indeed we have much to be thankful for, as both 

 our dear ones had devoted their lives to their Master's 

 service; and after they had been called home the 

 beautiful expression on their faces testified to their 

 entrance into glory. They died as they lived; and we 

 heard from a survivor that they had refused to go into 

 the life-boats, as they were good swimmers, and the 

 life-boats should take those who could not swim, and 

 they were seen apart on the deck of the vessel, quite 

 calm and collected, and went down with the vessel. 

 Death must have been instantaneous. 



Gleanings is always clear and up to date, and I can 

 say f jr one that I can get all the information that is 

 necessary out of it. Your Christmas number is some- 

 thing of a "hummer," and plenty of good reading 

 for bee-men; also useful for reference to the whole 

 year's journal, which is worth considerable to all sub- 

 scribers. Wm. Dickinson. 



Streator, 111., Dec. 22. 



ONE DOLLAR WELL INVESTED. 



About a year ago last September I sent you $1.00 for 

 Gleanings, with a promise of a queen as a premium; 

 and now at this late day I am going to give you the 

 results of my venture. Gleanings came all right, 

 and so did the queen. At that time I had no tood 

 place to put her majesty excepting a rather small 

 queenless colony of very dounful ability to winter. 

 But I put her in, and kind o' hoped she would go 

 through, becar.se she came from the same State so 

 many of our good presidents did. In fact, I named 

 her Mrs. McKinley. Last sp ing when warm weather 

 came on, she begnn to vprea i out and fill the hive up 

 with brood; and out of 15 colonies she outdid them all. 

 I took over 110 00 worth of hnney from her hive, and 

 they are packed away now with a far better prospect 

 for another year than they had last. That was the 

 most profitable dollar I ever squandered in my life. 



Gleanings is cheap enough without any premium; 

 but you know we bee men always take any thing we 

 can get. Sanford Hartman. 



North Platte, Neb., Nov. <i. 



