made in things supposed to be fixed that they began, once upon a time, to
assert that rain and snow and the weather in general ought to be subject
to our will. They said that in the advanced state of civilization toward
which we were progressing it would seem to be an anomalous thing that we
should continue to be subjected to the annoyances of so changeable a
tyrant as the weather. We seemed destined to gain control of so many of
the forces of nature that our future mastery in this department looked to
them reasonable. For a long time these views appeared fanciful to the
many, but this did not deter a few enthusiasts from study and experiment.
As knowledge and skill increased we began, little by little, to gain
control of the elements; but do not imagine it was anything less than a
slow and laborious work.

"First, as we learned something of the laws which control the
precipitation of the moisture suspended in the atmosphere, we discovered a
way to produce rain by mechanical means. As this discovery was gradually
developed we found we had really solved the problem. For, as there was
only a certain amount of moisture taken up into the air, the quantity of
rain could not be increased nor diminished, and so when we made it rain in
one place it was always at the expense of the rainfall somewhere else.

"Since those early days vast improvement has been made, until now these
laws, once so mysterious and so perplexing, are obedient to our service.
The whole face of our planet has been reclaimed, and drouth and famine on
the one hand and floods on the other are entirely unknown. Each section of
country is given rain or snow or sunshine just as it needs it, and there
is no uncertainty in the matter."

When Thorwald had reached this point my curiosity prompted me to ask him
to tell us in a few words how they could make it rain when they pleased,