i88o.J and Weather Prophecies. 753 
so disastrous in Britain and the west of Europe generally, 
had a very different character in the United States, where 
the harvest was exceedingly abundant. The question 
whether the whole earth in 1879 enjoyed less solar heat 
than in 1868 has scarcely been asked, and assuredly not 
decided. Suppose any change in the regions of space 
interfered with the aCtion of the sun’s rays upon the earth, 
or caused the heat which the planet absorbs to radiate away 
more freely, it is difficult to say how such a change, aCting 
continuously for months, could bear upon Europe and leave 
Eastern America unscathed. 
The periods of forty years alternately exceeding and 
falling short of the average temperature form another 
feature in the hypothesis of Mr. Jenkins. Have the years 
1840 to 1880 been in any appreciable way superior to those 
from 1800 to 1840 ? We doubt it. The first-named period 
has brought us only one July harvest, and, on the other 
hand, a succession of bad seasons, 1872 to 1879 inclusive, 
such as are not often recorded in authentic history. 
If we take d priori grounds we must certainly pronounce 
the eight years’ cycle of Mr. Jenkins less probable than the 
sun-spot hypothesis. A change in the conduction of the 
sun’s surface is much more likely to be a vera causa , as far 
as the earth’s temperature is concerned, than a slight 
orbital perturbation. It may not here be out of place to 
remark that if Venus is the cause of these waves of cold 
the astrologers were fearfully mistaken in ascribing to her a 
benign influence. 
We cannot here help referring to the predictions of an 
anonymous French meteorologist, which so far have proved 
but too true. He foretold severe winters for the years 1878, 
1879, 1880, and 1881, the last being the culminating point, 
after which a series of favourable years were to ensue. As 
far as we remember he promised, after 1881, to reveal the 
principles upon which his forecasts are based. 
