Dew: Does it Rise or Fall?

Abstract

MESSRS. E. E. Free and Travis Hoke begin Chapter xiii. of their recent work on “Weather” (Constable and Co., 1929) by stating that “the chief thing to be said about dew is that it doesn't fall, early or late, on Maxwelton or any other braes. In fact it rises.” They go on to explain that dew is formed when the warm, moist “breath of the ground” comes in contact with colder objects, such as leaves, twigs, or spider webs, causing precipitation. They make no note of the fact that dew is formed only under a clear sky which allows free radiation of the earth's surface heat; but they make the following surprising statement: “Most of the dewdrops on leaves and blades of grass, especially leaves close to the ground, are on the under sides; that is, the side of the leaf or grass closest to the soil.”