The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-06-07
The Year Without A Summer.

| During a cold spring, like that which is
just drawing to close, people generally
console themselves with the reflection that
the sun will eventually get the victory,
and that summer will certainly come at
last, though it's coming may be delayed.
Uncertain as the weather is, the general
features of the season reeur with regu-
larity wgich warrants the confidence thus
reposed in the annual return of seed time
and harvest but there are instances on
record in whic h even the seasons
seem to have lost their characteristic fea-
lures, as if the ordinary laws of meteorol-
ogy had been temporarily suspended. A
remarkable case of this kind, and one
which the long-continued cold weather
OF this spring makes particularly interest
ing just now, is that of the year 1916 {
| which has been called ''the year without q
summer" A communication printed iii
the ConpegatiOnalist, of Boston, gives the
| following summary of the weather of this
remarkable year:
January and February were mild March
was cold April begun warm, but ended
in snow and ice. Ice formed an inch chick
in May, and fields were planted over and
| over again until it was too late to replant.
June was the coolest ever known in this
latitude frost and ice were common. AL
most every green thing was killed fruit
nearly all destroyed. Snow fell to the
depth Of ten inches in Vermont, seven in
MaiDo IN bO int of No. nj
and also in Massachusetts. There were
few warm days 1t was called a dry sea-
son. But little rain fell The wind blew
steadily from the north, cold and fierce.
Mothers knit extra socks and mittens for
their children in the spring, and wood
piles that usually disappeared during the
warm spell in front of the houses were
speedily built up again. Planting and
shivering were done together, and the
farmers who worked out their taxes on the
country roads wore overcoats and mittens.
In town in Vermont flock of sheep be-
longing to farmer had been sent as usual
to their pasture. On the 18th of June
heavy snow fell in New England. The
cold was intense.
A farmer who had a large field of corn in
built fires around it at night
to ward off the frost; many an evening he
and his neighbors took turns watching
them. He was rewarded with the only
crop of corn in the neighborhood. Consid-
cradle damage was done in New Orleans
in consequence of the rapid rise of the
River. Fears were entertain
I'd that the sun was cooling off, and
New England all picnics were
strictly prohibit.
July was accompanied with frost and
ce. Indian corn was nearly all destroyed.
some favorably situated fields escaped.
August was more cheerless, if possible,
han the summer preceded it. Ice was
formed half an inch in thickness. Indian
corn was so frozen that the greater part
vas cut down and dried for fodder. AL
most every green thing was destroyed in
this country and in Europe. On the 30th
snow fell at Barnet, forty miles from Lon
Ion. Very little corn ripened in New
England and the Middle States. Farmers
supplied themselves from corn produced
IN 1916 for seed in the spring of 1917. 1t
sold at from "a to IS per bushel.
September furnished about two weeks
IF the pleasantest weather of the season,
out in the latter part Of the month ice
formed an inch thick. October had more
Than its share of cold weather. Novem-
Oer was cold and snowy. December was
pleasant, and the winter following was
mild. Very little vegetation was matured
n the Eastern and Middle States. The
sun S rays seemed to be destitute of heat
Turing the summer all nature was clad
n sable hue and men exhibited no
little anxiety concerning the future of
his life.
The average price Of flour during the
rear in the New York market was $13 per
'arrel. The average price of wheat in
England was ninety-seven shillings per
quarter. Bread riots occurred throughout
Great Britain in 1877 in consequence of
he high price of the staff of life.-BoSton
JORgTeGatiOndlist.