THE BENEFICENT RAIN
"We knew it would rain for the poplar's showed
The white of their leaves, the amber grain
Shrunk in the wind and the lightning now
Is tangled in tremulous skeins of rain."
--Aldrich.
Fickle April, the season of sunshine and rain, comes on apace; and the
bluebird, that "comes first you know, like a violet that has taken
wings," has piped his clear advance notes in the hedges, and a bright
message of promise his cheery song always brings, of blossoms and
verdure soon to follow.
Surely each changing month brings with its advent its own peculiar
charms. The seasons of frost, snow and ice are full of beauty to those
of us who have looked into, and delight to ponder over, the many secret
ways of nature. But April with its sudden showers, which eventually do
bring forth the May flowers, we hail with hope; and are only too happy
to leave behind us, as a pleasant remembrance, the more sombre, frozen
charms of winter.
The ice-bound brooks have at last burst their fetters, in the meadows by
the little streams the stems of the willows are yellowing, and here and
there the pussy willows, in their silver, furry coats, are bursting
forth; the alders have sprouted, and from the ooze of the marshes the
swamp-cabbages are pushing forth their sharp-pointed purple sprouts.
While the honking geese, flock after flock, trail wedge-like in the
early mists of the morning, across the gray skies. In the sedgy places
where the flags are just sprouting the "peepers" at twilight begin their
spring chorus, and with the advent of all these signs of advancing
spring, we realise that the "backbone of winter" has fairly been broken,
and the earth is preparing and waiting for April, with its beneficent
showers to bring new life into all dormant buds and vegetation beneath
the earth and to arouse them once more from their long winter's
lethargy.
[Illustration: 138. Second stage of lance-like crystal]
[Illustration: 139. Lance-like form completed]
[Illustration: 140. Freak ice crystals]
[Illustration: 140 b. Group of ice crystals containing germs, "freaks"
and one completed ice flower]
"April cold with dropping rain
Willows and lilac bring again
With the whistle of returning birds."
Since the rain plays such an important role in nature's plans, certain
facts concerning its origin, and the clouds which govern its formation
and fall, will prove of interest.
The prior causes of rain are due to the evaporation of moisture which is
constantly going on, from ocean, lake and river, and all vegetation;
until the air is freely saturated with moisture thus evaporated. Then
"Mother Nature" assists, causing turbulent, driving winds to rise, and
all her elements combine forthwith, to precipitate the moisture; and
then follows the rain.
The rays of the sun falling upon the air stratum nearest the earth cause
it to arise and expand. Thus, as a result, the clouds are formed. The
ascending air leaves a partial vacuum below, which causes surrounding
air to rush inward; which in turn causes winds. Once this process
starts, it tends to grow and perpetuate itself. The inrushing air below
forces the rising air still higher and higher, which causes dense clouds
to form and rush upwards to great heights. Both snow and rain fall as a
result of warm moist air being forced upward to a great altitude, and
its moisture condensed.
The smaller raindrops fall from the lower cloud strata, but the larger
drops descend from a much higher altitude. In the higher, frigid
altitudes where snow, and the granular snow pellets are formed and
exist, in the upper sections of the clouds; by falling down through the
vast cloud regions below, they gradually collect minute cloud particles,
and smaller drops in their travels, and thus, by melting, as they
encounter warmer air currents, form the very large, high-altitude
raindrops.
[Illustration: 141 a. Coral-like branch showing the "feather type" in
detail]
[Illustration: 141 b. Window-pane ice. Two forms, the arborescent and
feather types]
It has not until quite recently been possible to measure with any degree
of accuracy, and photograph raindrops in the exact size in which they
fall. But now that it has become possible to do this, it is most
interesting to know the process. It is also most important to be able to
know that certain types of raindrops fall during given storms. For
instance, a very large type of raindrop emanates from a violent
thunder-storm, when there is vivid lightning. Another distinct type
belongs to the general storm, and there are many others, their form and
size being governed entirely by the clouds and the character of the
storms from which they fall.
Hundreds of samples of raindrop impressions have recently been secured,
and the method employed to collect and photograph them is most unique.
To secure these raindrop impressions, emanating from various storms and
clouds, a shallow tin receptacle about four inches in diameter was used,
the bottom of the tin being covered with fine, uncompacted flour an inch
deep. The flour was then exposed to the rain for about four seconds, and
the raindrops allowed to remain in the flour until each drop had
hardened as it fell. These dough pellets, or raindrop impressions were
found, in every instance, to correspond very closely in size to the
raindrops as they fell. When thoroughly dried out they were carefully
removed from their bed of flour, labelled and photographed. This method
of determining the relative dimensions of raindrops which fall during
various types of storms, has proven to be the most satisfactory method
as yet discovered.
[Illustration: 142. Beautiful type of window-ice growing like delicate
sea-weed]
[Illustration: 143. Window-pane ice. Resembling pampas grass]
[Illustration: 144. Another type of window-pane ice]
The large raindrops are invariably great travellers. The larger the
drops the greater the height from which they fell. Some of them travel a
distance of five to eight miles before reaching the earth.
Raindrops falling from very high altitudes invariably start out as
snowflakes, as the upper section of a rain-cloud, when formed in the
high frigid altitudes, is usually composed of snow. The general
rain-storm usually furnishes small to medium-sized drops. But sudden
thunder-storms, where the clouds gather in dense, mountain-like
formations, as the one shown in the photographed illustration, furnish
the very largest raindrops which fall, unless we except those which may
sometimes result from the melting of large hailstones, which emanate
sometimes from very violent storms of the whirling, tornado type.
The cold gray rains of early spring, which frequently turn to ice in
falling, and sheathe the branches of trees with a glittering coat of icy
mail, change in character as spring and the warmer weather advances.
The mid-summer thundershower is still another type, and an impressive
one. When all nature lies gasping and parched under the withering heat
of a torrid sun, when the pebbly beds of the little streams are brown
and dry, and the thirsty cattle low plaintively in the sun-scorched
pastures, then suddenly, the south winds send a long-drawn, whispering
sigh through the motionless tree-tops; the poplar leaves begin to
tremble and toss, and faster and faster the thunder heads begin to roll
up and assemble, and rush together, with low ominous mutterings.
The clouds, coppery-hued and black, and full of menace, hang low, and
almost seem to touch the hills, rising winds chase each other and catch
up stray dead leaves and débris, sending them whirling and dancing in
fantastic eddies; while the startled swallows wheel low before the
rushing, mighty tumult of the approaching storm.
[Illustration: 145. Another example of Columnar ice. Formation like
vegetable roots]
[Illustration: 146. Columnar ice, found under peaty soil]
[Illustration: 147. Columnar ice, section shown in detail, largely
magnified]
Nothing can compare in grandeur, to the marshalling of Nature's forces
together and the raging fury of a great thunder-storm. Truly the roar of
the thunder may well be likened to Heaven's artillery, and no
pyrotechnic display ever equals that which the jagged, forked lightning
creates amid the inky, ominous clouds of the heavens. And then the
finale; the low, distant, retreating growls of the passing thunder, the
gradual lifting of the clouds, and then like magic, their leaden,
ominous curtains are swept aside, and the happy sunshine is with us
again, and the earth, refreshed and purified by the grateful shower,
gasps no more in the throes of heat.
And how lovely is nature after such a shower. How sweet and fresh the
air, and how each blade of grass, and all vegetation sparkles and
scintillates anew. The little mountain torrent which trickled so
listlessly, just a mere silver thread among its mossy stones, has gained
new courage and strength since the shower, and its gurgling may plainly
be heard as it now rushes madly down the incline. The meadow brook has
overflowed its banks, and formed a miniature lake, in which the grateful
cattle stand contentedly knee-deep. All the birds rejoice, and the
robins, noisiest of them all, pause to plume afresh their wet feathers,
and pipe their peculiar rain song; a distinct note of gratitude and joy
for the coming of the rain.
The rain, besides playing a most important part in aiding all
vegetation, is an acknowledged and powerful agent in the cleansing and
purification of the atmosphere. Foul air is dissipated, and dust and
particles which rise in clouds and permeate the air we breathe, are
beaten to the earth and dissipated by the kindly rain.
[Illustration: 148. Very great thunder-storm drops]
[Illustration: 149. Rain from high cirro-stratus clouds]
[Illustration: 150. Rain from low nimbus clouds]
Storms which arise in pleasant summer weather are frequently caused by
the diurnal breezes which ascend mountain slopes causing sudden clouds
to assemble, and thunder-storms to follow. Violent thunder-storms are
caused by the intensely hot air which arises from the earth in summer,
and which encounters the cooler air descending.
Frequently "heat lightning" may be observed flickering fitfully in the
skies, when there is no rain. When such is the case, you may be assured
that a storm cloud hovers somewhere in that direction, although it may
not be visible, or its thunder audible. Whenever the lightning is
brilliant and continuous the storm is sure to be of a violent character,
when frequently the destructive bolts are fifty miles away.
The rainbow, that wonderfully beautiful bow of prismatic tints, which
sometimes throws its ethereal arch across the heavens for a brief while,
is caused by the reflection of the sun's rays shining upon drops of
rain, the colours being arranged in definite order; red, orange, yellow,
green, blue, indigo and violet. The lunar rainbow, which occasionally
forms at night when the moon shines, is not of frequent occurrence, but
very beautiful when it does deign to show itself. Its colouring is not
nearly as distinct at the rainbow, but ghostly, and of a pale-yellowish
tint. Frequently a double rainbow is seen after a shower; this is but a
reflection of the rainbow proper, but indescribably beautiful.
In the coming of the rainbow we have a Biblical symbol. It is spoken of
in Genesis, and was used as a token of the Covenant; as a Divine promise
to man, that the earth should never again be destroyed by flood.
There are numberless so-called signs, which are considered reliable
indications of rain. Almost invariably a continuous south wind will, in
most localities, bring in its wake rain in a few days. On the contrary,
a continuous north wind is liable to dispel all rain signs for a time.
[Illustration: 151. Thunder and hail storm type]
[Illustration: 152. From a great rain storm which lasted 15 hours]
A "mackerel sky," that is, a sky covered with a wide expanse of small
silvery clouds, round in shape, is another rather sure indication of
rain; salmon-coloured, leaden, or silvery clouds are usually indications
of falling weather, and when at sunset the clouds of the west are
brightly coloured, red or flame-coloured, afterwards followed by lighter
hues, streaking up from the place where the sun disappeared, and
stretching far across the sky, finally converging to a common point on
the opposite horizon, you may be quite certain that somewhere within
line of the sun, there is a heavy storm brewing; although it may be
invisible, and hidden by the earth.
We know that in certain parts of the earth the rain seldom falls. In
Lima (Peru), Thebes (Egypt), and in certain sections of North Africa
they very rarely have rain. The presence of forests tends to increase
the rainfall. Over the ocean it is always clear when the trade winds are
blowing steadily, while rains fall continuously in the zone of calms.
Some countries are rarely free from rains; in Hindustan, Brazil and
Guadeloupe the rain is almost continuous, while certain localities are
noted for prolonged seasons of either drought or rain, which occur at
stated periods, as in California.
The benefits derived from the rain are unlimited. After the visitation
of a great and prolonged drought, when lakes and rivers and their many
tributaries, the little mountain torrents which feed them, are dry for
lack of rain; when the gardens and all vegetation at last succumb and
shrivel for lack of moisture; when we really endure great bodily
privation, and domestic animals suffer for lack of water, then we may
realise fully, what a wise and necessary provision the rain is to us.
[Illustration: 153. Thunder cloud]
[Illustration: 154. Nimbus or low stratus clouds]
It seems therefore that there is always a great promise and hope
embodied in the providential falling of the rain at such a crisis;
nothing can express the thought I would convey more clearly than the
following beautiful lines:
"Hast thou forgotten God who gives the rain?
Plentiful and merciful the long showers pour
On parching field where dust and drouth were sore,
Yet, will thine eyes watch out the night again?
"What hope had earth gasping at yesternoon?
What hope hast thou whose comfort shall be soon.
To-morrow where the upland fields lay black,
Thou shalt go forth and look on life come back.
Harvest shall follow seed-time yet again.
Hast thou forgotten God who gives the rain?"
--Earle.
THE END
[Illustration: Endpapers]
[Illustration: Endpapers]
Transcriber's Notes
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