There is, however, a particular reason why rain is rather more likely to occur soon after a battle than shortly before one; viz., the fact that intervals of fair weather, with consequent dry roads, are used by commanders in carrying out the movement of troops that precede an engagement. By the time such arrangements, often occupying several days, are completed, the “spell” of fine weather is likely to be over, and a rainstorm is due in accordance with the normal program of nature. The most famous undertaking in the history of rain-making--and one which has had an incalculable effect in fostering the credulity of the public with respect to similar enterprises--was that carried out by General Robert Dyrenforth on behalf of the United States Government in 1891. Congress voted appropriations amounting to $9,000 for these experiments, and Dyrenforth was appointed a “special agent” of the Department of Agriculture to direct them. After some preliminary trials in the suburbs of Washington, the experimenters proceeded to a ranch near Midland, Texas. Here a few balloons filled with a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen, as well as several sticks of dynamite carried up by kites, were exploded in the air, but the only explosions of considerable magnitude were set off on the ground. The experiments continued over a period of three weeks and in some cases showers fell within a few hours after an explosion, but, in spite of the somewhat favorable tone of the official report, the consensus of scientific opinion was that the undertaking was a failure, while the views of the public at large were divided. The attitude of the Government is sufficiently indicated by the fact that it has never since undertaken experiments in this line. The one tangible outcome of this affair was that a crop of private rain-makers sprang up all over the country, and to this day the example set by the official experimenters is cited in support of every sort of harebrained scheme for juggling with the weather. In 1911 and 1912 the late C. W. Post, of breakfast-food fame, expended many thousand pounds of dynamite in efforts to produce rain in Texas and Michigan. Showers undoubtedly occurred in conjunction with Post’s experiments, but conditions favoring their occurrence were plainly indicated on the current daily weather maps, and they had been duly forecast by the Weather Bureau. The professional rain-maker does not generally resort to the expensive process of bombarding the clouds. His methods most frequently involve the use of chemicals, and the details are shrouded in mystery. For example, about a quarter of a century ago one Frank Melbourne, known as “the Australian rain-maker,” enjoyed great celebrity and coined money by his exploits in this field. His plan was to shut himself up in a barn, freight car, or other structure, and manipulate his chemicals and electric batteries for hours or days. Naturally rain sometimes came after these operations, but as often it did not.