formulae the minuteness of forecasts is limited by the distance of a place from the headwaters. While Mr. Hayes can make his forecasts to the one-tenth of a foot, here we must be satisfied to get within one foot. In the Kanawha valley, which drains three counties in North Carolina, a portion of Virginia and much of West Virginia, it is not so important to forecast stage as to forecast something with regard to general height, e.g., 20, 25, or 30 feet. More rainfall stations are required. The water that comes to Radford is wholly from rainfall. In July, 1916, when there were general torrential rains in the North Carolina portion of the Kanawha, a flood very similar to that of 1878 occurred. In forecasting the 1916 flood the stages reached in 1878 were used as a basis. In general six inches of rainfall corresponds to 25 or 30 feet in the river. The flood of 1878 ran five feet higher at Charleston than did that of 1916, though the stages farther up stream were the same in both cases. In 1878 the average rainfall in the West Virginia portion of the basin was three inches, while during the storm which made the flood of 1916 no rain occurred there.

Sir Frederic Stupart in closing the discussion remarked on its interest, and commented that the Weather Bureau was alive to the whole business. The paper on "Adjusting Rain Insurance Policies by the Amount and Duration of Rainfall," by Harold Yost, was read by title. (See pp. 17-19 above.)

Sir Frederic remarked on the application of rain insurance in Canada.
The Local Forecast

By G. A. LOVELAND, U. S. Weather Bureau

The importance and value of the present local forecast. Suggestions for making this forecast more valuable, by increasing its length, using more definite terms, and extending it to other regions than the immediate vicinity of Weather Bureau stations.

Discussion:

Sir Frederic Stupart remarked on the complexities introduced into local forecasts by the topography and the situation relative to land and water in the Canadian part of the Lake Region.

Professor H. J. Cox said he had listened with very great interest. He remarked that, as district forecaster for the region in which Mr. Loveland's station was located, he was the wholesaler while Mr. Loveland was the retailer. Others are the consumers. The Weather Bureau is encouraging local forecasts. Mr. Cox said that the reason for the local forecast was essentially that the district forecast must be stated in the shortest possible terms on account of telegraphic costs. Not infrequently in the forecasts for Nebraska is an exception made for the North Platte region, as Mr. Loveland says. When a local forecast is made interpretative of the district forecast the verification must be met. For example, if the district forecast says "colder Friday night," and the local forecaster, in the eastern end of the district says "colder early Saturday morning" that means that the temperature at 7 A. M. will be 6, 8, or 10 degrees lower than at the same hour the day before. When the forecast of colder is made for the whole state the change may be 15 degrees in the western portion, but only 2 degrees in the eastern portion in the same period, for the beginning of the fall in temperature, which occurred early in the west, may just have reached the eastern border of

the state at the close of the forecast period. Shippers' forecasts are made for shipments north and west in Nebraska. To some extent these may be counted as a localization of forecasts. Professor Cox expressed himself as certainly in favor of extension of local forecasts. He said, however, that it is the opinion of the Central Office that the number of local men who were capable of improving on the district forecasts is limited.

In answer to a question by Mr. Devereaux about outlying places, Professor Cox said that localized, special forecasts were now being sent from Chicago. The extent to which this could be done will depend on the men who can do it. Anyway, besides a local forecast, many people want the district forecast also, as their interests are more than local. Mr. G. A. Loveland corroborated this statement.

Sir Frederic Stupart remarked that the cost of extending local forecasts was prohibitive. He said that in Canada district forecasts are sent to every telegraphic station in the country. In this way they reach far. The closing paper on the morning's program was then called for.

Possibilities of a World Meteorological Foundation

By ROSCOE NUNN, Nashville, Tenn.

The development of the science of meteorology has reached a stage where, if the insistent demands of the world for long-range, or seasonal, forecasting of the weather are to be met, we must find additional basis for the forecaster to stand upon. There is the belief among meteorologists that the next great advance in knowledge of the laws of the atmosphere and in weather forecasting must come from a study of the atmosphere as a unit. Some way must be devised for carrying to completion a great project for world-wide, comprehensive study, through synchronous observations and reports. The time has come to change the dreams of meteorologists into realities. There is just one thing, so far as we now know, that really prevents the inauguration and successful carrying out of such a project, and that is, lack of money. As a solution for this problem, a world meteorological foundation is suggested, the purpose being to secure by gift sufficient funds to carry on a broad, adequate project of international, world-wide investigations in meteorology, and, to some extent, allied subjects; co-operation with and supplementing existing meteorological services and agencies. The writer expresses the opinion that there is now a better chance to attract favorable attention to such a project than ever before, due to the progress that has been made in weather forecasting in recent years, to the increased faith of meteor. ologists themselves in the future of their science, and to the fact that there are a number of precedents and examples showing the great things accomplished through science for humanity by great special funds and foundations, and, further to the fact that there are now more men in the world able and willing to back great public enterprises than ever before. The universal scope and vastness of the project and its big possibilities are pictured as alluring features that might be used in presenting the project and making an appeal to prospective founders.—(Author's abstract.)

Discussion: Sir Frederic Stupart said in view of what is being done

as already in World Meteorology something further can be accomplished. ent World Meteorology is essential to the success of weather forecasting. The Reseau Mondial has accomplished a great deal in giving us some idea of He the distribution of world weather. Two stations are chosen in every five degree square of latitude and longitude. The weather map of the northern ecast hemisphere is now prepared daily both in Toronto and Washington. It is evident from these that conditions in the north Pacific react continually on those of this continent.

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Further discussion was prevented by the luncheon engagement at the Chamber of Commerce.

(To be continued in March BULLETIN)

Weather Proverbs and Paradoxes. By W. J. Humphreys, Meteorological Physicist, U. S. Weather Bureau. Small 8vo. Baltimore, Md., Williams & Wilkins Co., 1923. Pp. viii and 125. Illustrated. Price $1.50.

There have been three stages in the development of weather forecasting. The first stage came before the invention of meteorological instruments, when men observed weather signs, and gradually built up a body of weather proverbs which embodied the results of their experience in the use of these prognostics. The second stage came when the readings Seas of the ordinary instruments, especially of the barometer, could be comalbined with the weather signs. This is the stage in which hundreds of ete navigators who are out of touch with radio weather reports still find e themselves. The third stage is that in which daily weather maps are e available.

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Weather proverbs still have, and always will have, real human interest. ch They are still in universal use. They represent an immediate daily contact which millions of people have with current and with coming weather Reconditions. Therefore collections of weather proverbs are not only ininteresting in themselves, but are worth study. There have been several such collections, but there have been practically no serious attempts to se separate the "good" from the "bad" proverbs. Many proverbs are merely the relics of past superstitions. Many are useful in one climate and of to no use in another land into which they have been imported. Most of our er own proverbs came from Europe, or even still farther away, and do not of fit into our climatic environment.

There was, therefore, a real need for such an attractive and readable little volume as that which Professor Humphreys has given us. In it the author has classified his selected proverbs under appropriate headings; has given clear and simple explanations of the "good" ones, and has not thesitated to point out the absurdity of some of the "bad" ones. The book therefore serves a distinct purpose in disseminating sound meteorological knowledge. The last fifty or more pages are concerned with Meteorological Paradoxes, to which Professor Humphreys has lately been giving attention. This is by no means the least interesting part of the book. The mere listing of a few of these paradoxes will stimulate thought, and a desire to read the author's discussion of them:-"rain dries air;" "more air goes up than ever comes down;" "to cool air, heat it;" "the coldest air covers the warmest earth," and so on.

This little volume is most attractively gotten up.

There are several

unusually effective illustrations of cloud forms, and also three photographs of optical phenomena, viz., a double rainbow, a corona and a halo. The publishers seem to us to have fully lived up to their highly praiseworthy motto, "Sans Tache."

R. DEC. WARD.

Harvard University.

ORIGIN OF DUSTFALL

As a result of my note in the May, 1923, Bulletin, telling of a heavy dustfall at Ludington, Mich., on March 25th, last, and requesting reports of duststorms that might have produced the dust, a letter was received from W. T. Lathrop, of Helena, Mont., director of the Weather Bureau climatological service in that State, telling that heavy duststorms occurred in extreme western Montana on the 19th and 16th, about a week before. Further inquiry established that the origin of the Montana dust was in eastern Washington and northeastern Oregon. In those sections the weather was unusually dry and strong winds occurred. Heavy duststorms occurred at many points. In some localities so much soil was blown away that reseeding was necessary. Whether some of this dust reached high altitudes and drifted slowly eastward is a question that can not at present be answered. One circumstance against the theory is that in the Dakotas and Minnesota, across which states the dust should have come, no unusual haziness or other obscuration is reported. Perhaps the origin was nearer Michigan. And yet the fact that the unusual duststorms in the far West occurred shortly before the heavy dustfall in this section is at least significant.-C. H. ESHLEMAN, Weather Bureau Office, Ludington, Mich.

On the morning of January 21, 1924, a temperature of 57° below zero was reported from White River, Ontario. This occurred after a calm, clear night, with the ground covered with about 12 inches of snow. It is the lowest temperature reported from White River since January 6, 1912, when the reading was -58°F.

Aitken, S. C., Feb. 7.-Weather conditions here are ideal. All of the spring foliage is in full bloom.-N. Y. Evening Post, Feb. 9, 1924.

Mr. Edgar W. Woolard has been elected a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society. For the past five years Mr. Woolard has made many contributions to meteorological optics and the applications of mathematics in dynamical meteorology. One of his latest papers was "The Role of Mathematics in the Development of Science as illustrated by the History of Meteorology." (Presented before the Mathematical Association of America, December 8, 1923.)

A report of the Cincinnati Meeting was published in Science for January 25, 1924.

The Royal Meteorological Society presented, on January 16, the Sy mons gold medal for 1924 to Dr. Takematsu Okada, director of the Cen tral Meteorological Observatory, Tokyo, Japan. Science.