“If,” he says, “the amount of wheat raised in the United States were reduced one-half or even one-third by a year of deficient rainfall, it is easy to imagine an enormous strain on the business of the country, and with a succession of such years the effect might mean disaster. Such a deficiency in the wheat supply, with wheat at 80 cents a bushel, would mean for a single year a direct loss in wealth of more than $100,000,000; it would mean that nearly all the wheat which is usually shipped abroad would be needed at home; it would mean that thousands of railroad cars and ships which ordinarily transport this grain would lie idle, that thousands of men who usually handle this grain in transport would be out of employment, that farmers in large numbers would be unable to meet their obligations, and consequently that banks and business of all kinds would suffer.” Recent prices of wheat give added force to these statements. In contrast to such broad relations of the weather to business, it may be interesting to point out certain relations which are of so special a character that, although familiar to hosts of business men, they have generally escaped the attention of writers on economics. On this subject Mr. John Allen Murphy says: “Retail sales are influenced tremendously by the weather. This is one factor that makes it impossible for a retailer to equalize the peaks and valleys in his sales chart. Favorable weather will bring him a rush of business. A bad day will keep patrons from his store. There is nothing he can do to prevent it. Many merchants have tried the plan of offering ‘stormy day specials,’ but at best such a scheme is only a makeshift that seldom works. The weather also affects the buying moods of people. A dark, dreary day in summer seems to influence humans to take on the same cast as the atmosphere. They are grouchy and hard to please. On the other hand, a cold day in winter has the opposite effect. The warmth and cheer of the store is such a pleasant contrast to the out-of-doors that shoppers like to linger over the wares and indulge themselves more readily in the luxury of buying. “A stormy day or a series of them always helps the mail-order business. In such weather people are inclined to stay at home. In passing the time, they are likely to thumb the pages of such catalogues as they have and thus see in them articles that they want. On the farm, especially in the bleak days of winter, it is often the custom to order garden seeds, incubators, tools, and many other things that will be needed as soon as spring opens up. On a bad day traveling salesmen find it easier to get the ear of a merchant. Not being busy with customers, he is prone to be more lenient toward the ‘boys with the grips.’” Another writer on this subject, Mr. F. C. Kelly, says: