1850. 
THE CULTIVATOR 
39 
II. The progress already made, towards deducing 
from these observations general laws. 
In the list of philosophers who have contributed to 
create science out of the crude materials furnished by 
observation, Mr. Redfield is first mentioned. He gives 
an account, in a paper to the American Journal of 
Science, of the hurricane of September, 1821, of the 
storm of August, 1830, and of two or three other storms 
of the same year. From a comparison of all the obser¬ 
vations, Mr. Redfield derived the conclusion that those 
storms were great whirlwinds. In 1833 he published a 
list of general propositions as embodying the results of 
his investigations, among which were the following: 
1. The severe storms of the Atlantic coast often ori¬ 
ginate in the tropical latitudes, wheie they are distin¬ 
guished by the name of hurricanes. 
2. These storms cover, at the same moment of time, 
a surface, whose diameter varies from one to five hun¬ 
dred miles, and in some cases they have been much 
more extensive. They act with diminished violence 
towards the exterior, and with increased energy to¬ 
wards the interior. 
3. The duration of the storm at any place within its 
track depends upon its extent, and the rate of velocity 
with which it moves. 
4. The direction of the wind over the greater portion 
of the track is not the direction of the progress of the 
storm. 
5. In the lower latitudes, while drifting to the west¬ 
ward, the direction of the wind at the commencement of 
these storms is from the northern quarter, and during 
the latter part of the gale, it blows from the southern 
quarter of the horizon. 
6. North of the parallel of 30°, and while pursuing 
their course to the northward, these storms commence 
with the wind from an eastern or southern quarter, and 
terminate w’ith the wind from a western quarter. 
7. Mr. Redfield infers that the portion of the atmos¬ 
phere which composes the body of the storm, blows in 
a horizontal circuit around a vertical axis of rotation, 
which is carried onward with the storm, and that the 
direction of the circuit is from right to left. 
8. The barometer always sinks while under the first 
portion of ihe storm, and rises again under the last por¬ 
tion of the gale. 
In the Journal of the Franklin Institute for 183G, Prof. 
Espy published a series of essays upon storms, in which 
he arrives at the following generalizations: 
1. The rain and snow storms, and even the moderate 
rains and snows, travel from the west towards the cast, 
in the United States, during the months of January, 
February, and March, which are the only months yet 
investigated. 
2. The velocity of this line is such, that it travels 
from the Mississippi to the Connecticut river in about 
twenty-four hours; and from the Connecticut to St. 
John, Newfoundland, in nearly the same time, about 
thirty-six miles an hour. 
3. When the barometer falls suddenly in the west¬ 
ern part of New England, it rises at the same time 
in the valley of the Mississippi, and also at St. John, 
Newfoundland. 
4. In great storms, the wind for several hundred miles 
on both sides of the line of minimum pressure, blows 
towards that line directly or obliquely. 
5. Many storms are of great and unknown length from 
north to south, reaching beyond the northern lakes on 
the one hand, and beyond our observers in the Gulf of 
Mexico on the other, while their east and west diame¬ 
ter is comparatively small. The storms, therefore, 
move side-foremost. 
6. Most storms commence in the “ far west,” beyond 
the stations of our most western observers. 
7. In the northern parts of the United States, the wind, 
in great storms, generally sets in from the north of east, 
and terminates from the north of west. 
8. In the southern parts of the United States, the wind 
generally sets in from the south of cast, and terminates 
from the south of west. 
III. The encouragement there is to a further prosecu¬ 
tion of meteorologic 1 researches. 
In all our investigations respecting natural phenome¬ 
na, we assume that the operations of nature are subject 
to laws, and these laws are uniform in their operation. 
A law of nature knows no exceptions. There is no place 
for science except upon this basis. All the laws of na¬ 
ture appear complex while they remain unknown; but 
when once discovered, we are surprised at their simpli¬ 
city. Why should storms form an exception to this 
rule? Have our meteorological researches been re¬ 
warded with no success ? Far otherwise. We have 
discovered that the great storms of the United States 
travel nearly from west to east. Violent storms usually 
travel at the rate of about 2'3 miles per hour; in some 
cases the velocity has been known to rise to 40 miles. 
These storms are of various dimensions. While sum¬ 
mer showers may cover an area of but a few miles, 
winter storms sometimes have a diameter of 1000 mile# 
or more. If the diameter of a storm is 500 miles, and 
its progress 25 miles per hour, its duration at a place 
situated at the centre of the track will be 20 hours, and 
less for places out of the centre. Hence we may form 
some estimate of the extent of a storm from its duration 
at any place. We are justified, then, in inferring that 
storms are subject to laws; that these laws are uniform 
in their operation, and that they may be discovered. 
When the magnetic telegraph is extended from New 
York to New Orleans and St. Louis, it may be subservi¬ 
ent to the protection of our commerce, even in the pre¬ 
sent state of our knowledge of storms. The severe 
winter storms which desolate the Atlantic coast come 
from the valley of the Mississippi, and require about 24 
hours to travel from St. Louis to New-York. The ap¬ 
proach of a dangerous storm might therefore be tele¬ 
graphed at New-York hours before its arrival, while 
the sky was yet unclouded and the wind propitious, in 
season to save a fleet of ships from putting to sea, to be 
engulphed in the bottomless deep. 
IV. Plan of conducting observations to secure the 
object proposed. 
An effort will be made to secure the co-operation of 
the general government, the several state governments, 
scientific societies, and the friends of science throughout 
the country. The entire country will be divided into 
sections not exceeding 100 miles square; and in each 
section, not already provided for, an observer vrill be 
sought out, who shall volunteer to make the observa¬ 
tions if instruments are furnished him. The Smithso¬ 
nian Institute will assume the burden of furnishing the 
necessary instruments to those who are unable to do it 
themselves. A form of observations will be provided, 
and instructions given to all the observers, who shall 
report at least quarterly to the secretary at Washington. 
It will be the duty of the Meteorologist to take charge 
of the observations, to discuss and analize them, and 
endeavor to deduce from them the laws of storms. 
These investigations will be published, in as much de¬ 
tail as may be thought demanded by the claims ol 
science, and a copy of whatever may be published will 
be forwarded to each observer, in order that he may ba 
encouraged in his work, by finding that his labor is nol 
wholly in vain. 
After all my efforts at condensation, Messrs. Editors, 
I find that my attempt to present a view of the doings 
of the Smithsonian institution, has resulted in a long 
article. I feel quite diffident in occupying so much 
space in your columns with this thing, but conclude to 
venture hoping it may be found interesting to a portion, 
at least, of yonr readers. 
This institution proposes, among other things, to in¬ 
vestigate several subjects intimately connected with the 
business of agriculture; and it is, therefore, well that 
our agriculturists should be informed of the principles 
of its organization and plans of operation. The pro¬ 
posal to “ post up” the developments of chemistry, as 
applied to agriculture, may be instanced as a very im¬ 
portant one, and calculated to be of service to our far¬ 
mers. Here lies a great field for further scientific re¬ 
search also; and if conducted with proper skill and 
judgment, great benefits must arise to our agriculture. 
We farmers will keep an eye out” upon the opera¬ 
tions of this Institution, therefore, and will be ready 
to lend it a hand in investigations connected with our 
profession, as well as to receive and acknowledge any 
benefits resulting from its scientific researches. F. Hol¬ 
brook. Brattleboro\ Vt., Dec. 5, 1849. 
He who plows his land and breeds cattle, spins 
gold. 
The footsteps of the owner are the best manure 
for his land. 
