Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-11-27
What kind of Winter are we going to
Have =?


We have received from Mr.. l.. ). Heat
wole, volunteer observer for the U. S.
Signal Service. at Dale Enterprise Rock
ingham; copy of "Smith's Planetary
Almanac and Weather Guide" for which
be is agent. Smith is the successor of
Vennor. The following is his forecast in
the Almanac for the winter now approach
ing:
''By the time this work is in the hands Of
the public, the question what kind of a
winter are we going to have ?" will be in
everybody's mouth. With three superior
planets on the same side of the Sun as the
Earth. with the potent inferior Venus
near inferior conjunction, the winter of
1885 must be pluvial, plenty of precipi-
taton being general. The North Amer-
can Continent. east of the Rocky Noun
tains, will likely pass through very moist
term, seet and rain, with their accom-
panying concomitants of fog and flood in
localities being the rule. A moist winter
is of course mild winter, and winter
ION the warm side," IS most probable. A
mild winter, with its accompanying
''depressions" is naturally blustery,
stormy winter also; with disastrous
storms and heavy gales. especially over
the oceans and other large bodies of water.
Storms will, expect be frequent, dlsas-
trous ones occurring at or about the
lunations of the first three months, as
well as at the oppositions or conjanctions
of the other planets with the Sun. These
unsettled terms l have done my best to
locate opposite their respective weeks.
They will of course be followed by extreme
cold. The winter of 1866 is going to
present a striking contrast to that of
1se4-5. One word to the pesslmlsts ere I
pass on. The indications are against a
''hard WINTER" although we are going to
get peculiar winter" therefore [ am
not in harmony with those who predict
great suffering and calamity among the
poorer classes.
Ga the last page of my last years AL
manac l gave ''long range forecast" for
the spring of 1886. 1 then said:
1.-The positions of the superior planets
during the Summer of 1886 favor a some
what cool time with few reactionary
| periods of extreme heat. The Spring will
| probably be an early one; indications of
| fine. warm weather, gladdenjng the hearts
of agriculturists, whose hopes are likely
to be nipped. late frosts doing considera-
BILE damage to drops" AS the planets are
not likely to change their calculated posi-
| lions | see no reason to alter my opinion
The warm weather indications at an early
| period Of Spring, perhaps ere the close of
March, with recurring terms of Summer
like warmth at intervals during april,
are likely to be followed in sections by
damaging frosts during May, and perhaps
June.
Many think that the cool summer of
1885 cannot have counterpart for some
| years, and must necessarily be followed
| by heated term. perhaps very hos Sum-
mer in 1885. | do not so read tAe wealth
or signs. [ would not trust too much to
the corn crop the coming year, except in
the South and South west. Let the far
mers of the Northern and North western
States. as we'll as those in Canada, SOW
sparingly of it next spring, turning their
/ attention this fall principally to wheat,
! and the other email grains in the spring.
There is money in this. provided the Eu-
ropean yield is no better than it should
be, which is probable. 1t has been said
that 1885 will resemble 1916, commonly
termed 'the year without sumner and
| 'eighteen hundred and starved to DEATH;
year when grain would not ripen in the
! korthern States and ice formed at inter-
Yals all summer. I do not 20 to this
| length. because the influences at work ap.
| pear to me to favor a rather GARNER SUM
| mer on the whole than 1885. If somewhat
cool and troublesome generally. it will yet
give us reactionary periods Of extreme
heat just as 1885 has done. Frosts will
likely be reported during every one of the
summer months over the Northern, n ORTIZ
casters and Northwestern States and
Canada,