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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXVI. No. 933 



Mr. Palmer points out further: "The St. 

 Johns River was frozen." My, that was a 

 cold wave, indeed! The St. Johns Eiver is 

 from 1 to 5 miles wide, and 20 to 40 feet 

 deep, with the usual tidal conditions that ob- 

 tain in streams contiguous to the ocean. That 

 this river, in latitude 30° North, should freeze 

 over is a new science item of wonderful po- 

 tentiality. Ice may have formed near the 

 fringe of the river during the severe weather 

 of 1835, but the St. Johns freezing, never! 

 " Climatology of the TJ. S.," by Professor 

 Henry, stated : " The St. Johns was frozen 

 several rods from the shore," quite a distinc- 

 tion from : " The St. Johns was frozen." 



As to the formation of frost at Miami on 

 February 11, 1912, as alleged by Mr. Palmer, 

 it is sufficient to say that the minimum tem- 

 perature at Miami on the date named was 51°. 



Florida covers an area of about 6° in lati- 

 tude. Winter storms of the southwest type 

 occasionally dip far southward, and, when 

 followed by " highs " of great magnitude, it is 

 obvious that wide temperature ranges must 

 be the sequence to the rapidly shifting areas 

 of high and low barometric pressure. Be it 

 remembered, however, that most of the cold 

 waves that reach the gulf coast leave no icy 

 touch over the lower peninsula. The great 

 upper drift seems to pull the northern por- 

 tion of our " highs " more rapidly eastward 

 than the southern portion, thereby frequently 

 converting what appeared, primarily, as an 

 ominous condition into a harmless change of 

 northeast winds and cloudy weather. 



In contrasting Florida and California as 

 winter resorts, Mr. Palmer was unfortunate 

 in his citation of temperatures, and, inferen- 

 tially at least, left the impression that Cali- 

 fornia, during the winter of 1911-12, was the 

 elysian field of climatic perfection. Invidious 

 comparisons are not in good taste, but weather 

 bureau records are paths that lead to truth, 

 so let the record speak. Mr. Palmer states 

 that 42° was the lowest temperature recorded 

 at Los Angeles during January. Official 

 records show, however, that 39° occurred on 

 February 27, and 38° on December 31, 1911, 

 and these figures represent a state of inver- 



sion, the temperature nearer the ground being 

 8° to 10° lower. In fact. Riverside recorded 

 21°, San Bernardino, 19°, and Redlands 24°, 

 on December 26, 1911. The temperature of 

 — 2° at Tallahassee, Fla., in February, 1899, 

 occurred during a condition that marked an 

 epoch in the climatic history of the country. 

 Tallahassee, however, is in the " hill coun- 

 try," quite 200 miles from the citrus belt. 

 Coincident with the zero temperature at Talla- 

 hassee, were minima of only 24° to 28° in 

 what is now an important section of the citrus 

 belt. 



Parenthetically, I will say there is no issue 

 between California and Florida. Their in- 

 heritance and common destiny are the same. 

 Florida rejoices in California's countless re- 

 sources and great prosperity, and forsooth, 

 she has learned a lesson from her business 

 acumen and studied frugality. Aye, more. 

 Florida is even willing to follow where Cali- 

 fornia leads, provided the objective be unity 

 and prosperity, justice and equality. 



Florida's hopes and aspirations are not 

 builded on the misfortunes of others, but, 

 like California, they rest securely in the pub- 

 lic's knowledge of her resources, and in the 

 wonderful possibilities arising from a climate 

 that offers success to the industrious, hope 

 and comfort to the afflicted. 



Florida, however, has her " ups and downs." 

 The cold wave of December, 1911, so damag- 

 ing to the Pacific coast, did not reach this 

 state, but its counterpart is found in the cold 

 waves of the '90's, which swept this section 

 with great severity. 



The matter of the weather recurring in 

 cycles has not been established as a funda- 

 mental fact, Bruckner to the contrary, not- 

 withstanding. The '' long ranger " has spent 

 his force, and until puny man is able to revo- 

 lutionize the mechanics of the atmosphere, the 

 rain-maker will continue to bombard space 

 with negative results. Hence, we must con- 

 tinue to rely on that governmental agency, the 

 weather bureau, for timely warnings of im- 

 pending changes. Light-wood Imots are still 

 plentiful in Florida, and coal and oil seem- 

 ingly so in California. The utilization of 



