November, 1912 
PPA 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
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393 
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Types of weather-vanes suitable for country-home out-buildings 
foster in you a properspirit of independence. It will also 
wholesomely stimulate your esteem for the study of that 
most interesting, honorable, ancient and worthy branch of 
learning, the weather or, to give it its proper title, 
meteorology. 
The word “vane”’ according to strict historic signification 
denotes something extended or spread out to the wind as a 
flag or pennon. A thin plate or slip of metal or wood 
pivoted out of center on a spindle so as to revolve freely in 
the wind, turning the heaviest portion away from the point 
whence the wind blows, is a weather-vane. Likely enough, 
from its etymological derivation, a flag or pennon was the 
direct ancestor of the weather-vane which was doubtless 
made first in that form. We have a survival of this origi- 
nal type in the dog-vane on shipboard, a cone of bunting the 
open end of which is stretched about a ring or small hoop 
attached by a swivel to the masthead. 
The first weather-vane of which we have any historical 
record was constructed by the Greek astronomer, 
Andronicus of Cyrrhus, somewhere about the year 100 B.C. 
His horologium, the so-called “tower of the winds” at 
Athens, a portion of which may still be seen, was an octago- 
nal building with figures representing the eight principal 
winds carven on each side. On the summit a brazen Triton, 
with a rod in his hand, turned round by the wind, pointed 
to the quarter from which it blew. Weather-vanes may be 
of an almost endless diversity of patterns but the best, very 
naturally, are those that are simplest and respond most 
readily to the slightest breath of wind. 
The practical essentials of a good vane are that it shall be 
reliable, keep in order and work easily. A weather-vane 
that doesn’t spin is like a clock that doesn’t run or an in- 
veterate liar whom you never can believe. It tells the truth 
only when the wind happens to be in that particular quarter 
just like the stand-still clock that is right only twice in the 
twenty-four hours. Although the scientific requirements of 
a vane are few it nevertheless keeps excellent scientific com- 
pany; it is, in fact, a necessary member of the weather 
man’s outfit of polarimeters, hygrometers and heaven only 
knows how many more imeters and ometers of sundry sorts. 
Vanes are not hard to make and with an ordinary amount 
of care and neatness in handling tools, a wind-indicator that 
will be really accurate and sensitive can be made in the 
home workshop. In setting the vane on its spindle one must 
see to it that there is a proper balance and that the greatest 
overhang comes on the side opposite to that facing the 
wind.’ Weather-vanes may be devised of almost any de- 
sired pattern that the maker has ingenuity to design and 
skill to execute. The devices may either be shaped from 
wood of about half an inch in thickness or from a thin sheet 
of metal. Sometimes, also, a very light framework of wood 
is covered on both sides with thin metal sheets in order to 
secure greater stiffness where the design is of an elaborate 
character. Anyone possessed of a mechanical turn and a 
fancy to put his conceits in tangible form can find plenty of 
occupation for odd moments in contriving vanes of a 
fashion distinctive and appropriate for the places they are 
meant to occupy. 
A wind-pennant, such as already referred to for use on 
shipboard, may easily be made by fastening the mouth of a 
cone or funnel-shaped piece of silk or cotton around a metal 
or wooden ring about five inches in diameter. The cone 
should be from fifteen to twenty inches long and closed at 
the small end; the most satisfactory material is flag bunting. 
No form of vane is more sensitive and reliable than these 
pennants; they respond to the least stirring of air. At the 
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Wales on a Sbictc cottage 
