1 897-] "Weather." 59 



manner : — There are distributed over the United States and 

 Canada about one hundred and forty first-class stations, i.e., 

 such that report twice daily, at 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., eastern stan- 

 dard time, to Washington and Toronto. Let this be clearly 

 understood that over the continent, from the Atlantic to the 

 Pacific, from Manitoba to Texas, twice daily at the same abso- 

 lute instant, the meteorological phenomena are noted and are 

 immediately wired to Washington and Toronto, which mutually 

 send data received. Each central office has then a meteorological 

 photograph, so to speak, of the continent. The skill of a 

 weather predictor arises largely from his alert comprehensiveness 

 of mind, accurate and retentive memory, phlegmatic but con- 

 fident temperament, and long experince in connection with the 

 discussion of storms for the section of the globe and the period 

 of the year for which he predicts. The first of these qualities 

 enables him instantly to grasp the situation and promptly draw 

 correct general inferences from slight indications ; the second 

 renders it possible for him to recall, with their sequences, similar 

 weather conditions — a very important matter — when they are 

 typical ; the third enables him to maintain unimpaired his confi- 

 dence in his own ability and judgment when he has made a 

 series of u nsuccessful predictions. Experience, the last but not 

 least, is most necessary, since the attendant circumstances of 

 storms change so materially, even from one season of a year to 

 another, that a forecaster skilled in summer storms may fail at 

 first in discussing those of the winter. 



Let us consider briefly the value of forecasts. We will be 

 within bounds if we make the sweeping statement that every in- 

 dividual is either directly or indirectly benefited by the fore- 

 casts. The value of the forecast in agriculture is self evident, 

 and at times of harvest, when the labors of a year may be 

 wasted in a day, the importance of the forecast is strikingly 

 noticeable. The value of the weather bulletin is in direct pro- 

 ortion to its distribution and receipt by those interested. From 



