WEATHER PROSPECTS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 208, 1 September 1881, Page 4

WEATHER PROSPECTS.

The London correspondent of the ; N Z. Times writing on the 15th July, says : - The northern hemisphere is j resuming once again its wonted atmos--pheric conditions. After a winter of ! unusual severity, tho summer has setin in what is called an old-fashioned i manner. The heat is severe — over 80 ! degrees has been registered already in ! the shade, and August will probably give greater results. The crops are an average — the dry spring prevented more favorable results. Hay is light * and late in getting in, and the fruit crop is scarcely heavy. Farmers, though of course, they will fiud something to grumble at, look forward to recoup themselves for previous bad seasons, and as trade is slowly improving, there is moro confidence among business men. The revenue continues fiiirly encouraging, though excise continues to decline apace. That this is duo to an extension of temperanco principles, in part at least, is undoubted; but the chief cause arises from the want of ready money among the lower orders. Unfortunately, a surplus of cash always finds its way to tho public-house. Of course, the heat of the weathor gets put down to tho comet. That strange, but harmless visitor is, however, probably quite innocent of the sins laid to his charge though it is singular tbat the vintages of 1811 and 1 844 should have been singularly good and coincided with the appearance of comets in thoso years, insomuch that tho wines of those yoars are known as " comet wines." The present comet is, however, a miserable specimen of bis race, and is fast getting out of sight, with his tail between his legs — a wretched appendage, only a few hundred thousaud miles long, and daily growing fainter. I can well recollect the great comet of 18.58, usually called "Donafi's." I was at the seaside at the time, at school, and the stupendous apparition sweeping across half the atmosphere and apparently dipping its tail in the sea seemed to add the force of truth to the old Scotchwoman's tale, referred to by Dean Ramsay, where she described in graphic terms the disappearance of one of the great comets of the last century, when it dipped its tail in the sea and went out with a hissing sound. By-the-by, a gentleman known to me, by report, has a theory that after all comets have no tails, the appearance being simply an optical delusion, but I am not at present justified iv saying more. In due time, if there is anything in it, the theory will be put before public. Apropos ofthe weather question, there is reason to think that we have been passing through a cycle of wet seasons, which will now give way to better times. Let us hopo so, we need all that the second of the Graces can do for us in the matter of encouragement.