160 Paragreles, or Hail- Protectors. 



the Cultivation of the Silk-worm, fyc, allow me to add that I 

 think their utility indisputable, and their principles founded on 

 the rock of inductive truth. 



It is freely conceded, by all conversant with the science of 

 electricity, that meteorological phenomena are entirely de- 

 pendent on atmospheric electricity, and that the fluctuating 

 changes of the clouds from cirrus to nimbus (See Encyc. of 

 Gard., § 1236.), through the intermediate gradationso f cumulus 

 and stratus, and their vicissitudes, are determined by electric 

 power. 



The conducting rod disarms the thunder cloud of its de- 

 structive artillery, and the lightning's flash, guided by a slen- 

 der wire, obeys the summons that consigns it to the dust; 

 and, if such be the security afforded by a solitary insulated 

 rod, generally imperfect, and badly constructed, much more 

 may surely be expected from conducting wires, multiplied ad 

 infinitum, and covering a vast tract of country. M. Chavannes, 

 of the University of Lausanne, deserves his country's thanks 

 for the introduction of paragreles. In the last conversation 

 we had together, he exceedingly lamented the inveterate op- 

 position they had met with ; I rejoined, that this was a sure 

 test of their value, because it appeared clearly to me that they 

 were founded on scientific principles, and must ultimately 

 triumph over every species of prejudice and error. This, I 

 am happy to say, is amply verified, and that triumph attested 

 in the Rapport sur V Utilite des Paragreles, drawn up by the 

 Linnean Society of Paris, in which their universal adoption is 

 earnestly recommended, and the special protection of the 

 French government solicited in their favour. The Nouvelliste 

 Vaudois of August 16th, 1825, very wittily observes, " Les 

 Paragreles n'ont qu'a bien tenUs. On les attaque par tout a 

 Paris, a Berne, a Zurich. La Grele seule les epargneT And, in 

 confirmation, I may merely state here that, when at Neufcha- 

 tel, I was informed that, in a village only five miles distant, 

 paragreles, from some superstitious motives, had not been 

 erected, and the vineyards were totally destroyed by hail, 

 whereas, in those vineyards that were protected, in their im- 

 mediate vicinity, the hail storm had been softened down into 

 snow, or melted into rain. There is not one example of a vine- 

 yard supplied with paragreles being injured in any way by 

 hail. Hailstones, or rather fragments of ice, do not fall near 

 a good conductor. Paragreles are generally used in the Can- 

 ton de Vaud, particularly about Lausanne, and on the Italian 

 side, as far as Vevey ; but I think the eminences about Vevey 

 are improperly neglected. These ought certainly to be espe- 



