Old and accurate. Part of a balsam fir is cut to use as a weather stick. See: New England Weather Sticks This stick is a very accurate way to predict when weather would be fair or foul. I've have had one for years, only recently replaced it because someone broke my old one. These make wonderful gifts in this otherwise mostly digital age. The link I posted is the most reasonable place to get them. Half of what they cost where they are made.
My mom has one on the side of her house. It really works well. For the difference between rain or snow, if it is white, it is snowing or frosty.
Back yard has the weather rock on a chain, if it's wet it's raining, white is snowing moving it's windy etc., Put that balsam in a Y, shape and douse with it gramps found springs everywhere!