The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-01-25
lror the Dispatch. ]
an Abstract OF Colonel William Gu
bell tE,e Elders Report Of the Wca"
4her Sror, 87SS 10 E7o5 Inclusive.

IN Abstract OF Colonel William Gu
bell fs,e Elders Report OF the Wca"
4s,er fror, 1859 10 E7e5 inclusive. :
1860.
March Sth. 4 deep snow; weather eyces-
siyelg cold. 18th. Peach-trees in bloom.
April Gth. \ very hard frost, which killed
the fruit OF every kind, coleworts, English
peas, garden beans, turnip-tops, and greens
Of every kind. many tobacco plants, and all
the leaves and buds that were put out on
the trees. 18th. The mountains covered
with snow; weather remarkably cold the
ground frozen, and at night there was thick
ice on the water in the pals.
August 11th. A fine raD-more than has
been since the 1st Of May; the drought
being so severe that everything was almost
burnt up.
September 9Th. The first settled general
rain since MAY 1st. Sth. Rained for three
DAYS. and the wind blew remarkably hard
for nearly ten hourS-in 50 much that it
broke down great quantities of corn and
tore our tobacco to pieces in 4 most shock
ing manner.
[N0te-There were showers June 1St,
10Th, 18th, Goth, and 2Sth. and July 10th
and 24tb. No rain between August 11th
and September 9Th.
October 18th. The most severe frost
ever knew so early, and the first we have
had that bit anything.
177o.
April 1st. Peach-trees begin to bloom.
ID showed the whole day and the night
extremely cold. I'd. A very hard frost, the
ground froze very hard for the season.
Killed all the peaches that were in bloom and
many that were not, and q great many to-
bacco-plants. 30th. \ frost that killed
peaches, cherries, &c.
July 14th. A wet summer.
October ID A very cold day, rain, hail,
snow, and at night frost.
1771.
January 10th. Showed all day. The snow
Il twelve inches deep. 18th. Remarkably cold
weather. a great deal OF ice in the river.
2sth 4 very great freshet in the river.
March 10th. Another freshet in the river.
April 18th, 18th, 10Th, Goth, 21st, apd
2Gth hard frosts.
Max Cd. The first rain for four weeks and
four days. 18th. A frost that killed our
Snap-beans, and much injured tobacco
plants, corn, cotton, and watermelon and
clcumber-vines. 2Gth. The greatest flood
ii The river that has been known by twelve
feet perpendicular ut least; it carried away
almost every house on the low-grounds, de-
stroyed all the orchards, many people were
drowned, fences entirely carried off, and
all the stock of every kind; and the land
when uncovered with the water presented
the most melancholy appearance, every
,hing being entirely swept off and the land
to all appearance ruined.
September 10Th. The first frost this fall.
The winter of 1774 was cold winter.
There were shocks Of an earthquake felt
March 10th and August 80, 1775.
March 31St, l7I6. The whole night one
continued gust OF wind, rain, hail, and
almost constant thunder and lightning.
March 3Oth, 1777. The river very low :
scarcely siy-hogshead tide, and has been
so chiefly since Christmas. The dryest Win
ter and spring, believe, ever known.
The summer OF 177S was " exceeding wet
weather.
August 10th, 177S. The weather cleared
up after ten days rain successfully, which
destroyed the most promising crop OF to-
bacco, as well It's did great injury to the
crops OF corn from hurricane with which
the rain began.
February 2Oth. Plum-trees, elm, and ma
!. pie, put out; elder also; and the peach
buds much swollen. \ long spell Of eX.
Peach-trees beginning to bloom.
March 18th. A very hard frost, which
killed the peaches and most other fruit. Al
night began to snow; continued to snow
and rain all night: next morning the ground
covered with snow. oath. Intensely cold.
The mountains covered with snow.
April 18th. Showed, and very severe
frost, which killed peas, snap-beans, all the
leaves on the trees and bushes, bit the clover
and even the dock, and swept away what
fruit was left.
May 30th. 4 moderate rain after a long
and exceeding drought. (Fhere was rain
on the 22d Of March.)
July 9th. A fine shower Of rain in the
night, after the greatest drought ever known
at this season OF the. year. The"appearance
OF the corn presented the most dreadful ap.
prehension Of famine, as 1t was dying in
many places. Scarcely any tobacco stand
ing.
August 10th. In the evening most pow
eriui rain, and the ground very wet, and
has been tolerably so for about thirteen
days, in which time corn and every Other
thing has improved amazingly. 1t has beer
such an advantage to vegetation that tht
dreadful prospect OF q famine is agreeabiy
changed to that OF plenty.
OecenDef. flnlSneu measuring anu Sc
II curing my corn. Made seventy barrels o.
corn to the hand at home, and two thirds O
the plantation on which it was made wa:
highland that had been tended many years
and until the 18th OF July there was th'
greatest appearance OF famine in this par
OF the country, having only two or thre,
small showers from the time corn wa!
planted. 1t then set into raining, and wa
rather too wet afterwards.
Note.-He flushed planting corn on tb'
18th OF April, and he mentions three rain
prior TO the 18th OF July-yiz. May Both
July 9th and Iith. 1t rained almost ever,
DAY from the 18th OF July to the 21st OF Au
gust
1880.
February 18th. A warm rain, which car
ried OH q great part OF the snow anC
raised The river, ia which the Ice begar
to break and run. Tt is the clearing up O
the most severe spell Of cold weather eve
known here. H.has continued from abou
tue 18th Of December, l779; most OF which
time people drove wagons oyer the riyero
/ the Ice, and most OF the streams were 81
frozen that twas attended with difficult,