The National tribune., 1891-11-19
FOSTERS WEATHER FORECASTS.
Important Prsdleiioas-A Few Words About Epl
drmir Diseases.
BY W. 7. FOSTER.
rooPYRIGHr. IsqI.I

HltTS nave dlNlurn tue year INTO Tour sea>pis-
aud they give Dec. 81 as the beginning
OF Winter. aud except IN the extreme northern
parts OF tie United States ana IN the most
elevated mountain ranges we seldom have
real Winter before the middle Of December.
while the middle Of November is quite early
for Winter weather In the great valleys along
the 10th degree Of north latitude
Iprcdicted that Winter weather would occur
| in the northern mountains early in October,
aud that it would gradually spread to the valleys
| earlier than usual. Careless newspaper editors
| have commented on this so as 20 make the i'm
| preston that ! predicted Winter 10 begin all
| over the country in October The middle Of
| November wouid DO very. AMI Nov. 81 IN
usually, early for real Winter in the middle
ATTITUDES of the United States aud there is
| ample time after these dates for a long, hard
| Winter.
Some of the cotton planters and dealers, for
time, regarded my prediction that the cotton
| crop this year would not exceed that Of last
| year as a mistake, but they now sec that | was
| right. Early frOsts, extremes Of weather, ex-
cessive rains and excessive drouths have each
taken hand in cutting down what At one time
promised to be the largest crop ever grown, and
now the crop Is reported as being less than that
| Of last year
Expecting an early Winter. and the weather
being dry aud favorable for picking, the plant
| ers have made unusual speed in gathering
their cotton. and this has thrown the cotton so
| rapidly into the markets that New York and
| English spectators have made use Of il to de-
press the prices, claiming that the crop was the
| largest ever grown. Cotton picking Is about
| over, and there is great aud sudden fI'ling-of
| In the number Of bales taken TO market After
criticising my predictions as 10 damages that
would surely result 10 the cotton crop the
| dealers and planters now see that was right
To some extent the same is true Of the corn
/ crop. Farmers anticipated an early Winter
and rushed the gathering, which makes the
crop appear larger than IL Is aud spectators
are using this 20 deprcss the prices At this
time nearly all the corn is cribhed aud the cot
ton ginned, fully four weeks earlier than usual.
The crops are good, but not so great as repre-
sented.
These preliminaries open the way for a very
important long range forecast. and I make il
this early in order that planters, farmers and
local dealers may have the advantage Of it. A
serious drOuth will affect the crops in the cot
ton States and the south half Of the corn-belt
next year. This drouth will not be general
over the drouth districts mentioned above, but
will occur in very large spots along and south
OF the 10th degree Of north lititude. The same
influences that caused the dr0uth this Fall will
DO much greater during the crop-growiug sea-
son next year The storm centers will cross
the continent far TO the north. as they have for
Aulte Huhbu5 past anu TINS invariably causes
drOuth and very hot weather south of the
sturm-tracks. The heaviest rains next year
will occur iu the highlands and near the 10Th
degree Of north latitude
Those who were reading my weather letters
in 1880 will remember that / predicted good
crops for the United States for 1901 except in
the extreme North and the extreme Southwest
Next Summer will be rs excessively warm as
the past Spring and Summer. prior 10 August,
were excessively cool.
Ny last letter gave forecasts Of the storm
wave due to cross the continent from 18th to
2lst and the next will leave the Pacific Coast
about the pod, cross the great central valleys
from the 23d to 18th, and reach the Atlantic
Coast about the Goth. This storm will DO at
its greatest force on the Atlantic Coast about
the Goth, and will be Of much more importance
IN the Eastern than in the Western States.
Disagreeable, cold weather will follow this dis
turbauce, and severe gales, possibly blizzard.
The blizzard follows the storm center and is
usually behind the storm center one or two
days. The wutry weather will be more severe
following the next disturbance.
During drOuths such as occurred during this
Fall the effects Of storm waves are not so
noticeable when the rain or snow season
comes in aud while the storms are running far
TO the North Some do not understand the
utility Of my forecasts But the storm center,
although 1000 miles away is still the key to
the weather aud the temperature direction Of
the wind aud its force change a. the storm
moves eastward during 4 drouth, and the
storm waves move across the continent Just as
regularly during a drouth as at any other
time.
Cholera, smallpox, sunstroke. the grip, yell
low fever diphtheria, and other epidemic dis
eases affecting mau: hog cholera. piukeye,
Texas fever, and other diseases affecting the
lower animals are periodic, caused by the
changed condition Of our atmosphere, brought
about by a sudden increase Of electricity,
caused by the position Of the planets Jupiter
and Saturn.
will not undertake to discuss all these dis
eases, nor ali the epidemic positions OF these
two great planets. Saturn occupies six Of these
positions In % years, three Of which are easily
traced ia historical statistics, and Jupiter occu-
pies four Of these positions ia l1.S years two of
which cause important epdemies.
will only try 10 establish one Of these cpl
dcmic causes at this time, and this will open
mp great field OF thought for our medical stu
beats.
When Jupiter crosses the suns equator "a
the former j. going toward pcriheiOn the
greater cpidemics occur, and their periods are
nearly II years apart Midway between these
Jupiter crosses the suns equator rs the former
is going toward aphelion, and following this
event the lesser epldemic5 occur, which also
have periods OF nearly u years.
Taking the records Of all nations we find
that cholera epidemics have occurred in the
following years: 1916. 1901, 1907, 1913. 1919.
ls25, 1881. 1885, lSi2, ISIS, 1871, 1860. 1866
lS12, 1871, 1883 and 1853. and these are the
years IN which Jupiter pas ed the suns equator.
The dates given are beginnings Of the epidem.
les which usually continue from one to three
years.
The greatest epidemics occur at about 80
years apart, aud that is the period at which
Jupiter and Saturn occupy relatjv ely the same
positions, as in that time Jupiter makes ex-
actly five revolutions around the sun aud
Saturn exactly two revolutions.
On tho same basis We may calculate the peri
obs Of all epidcnics that affect man and beast.
These diseases are caused by microbes, which
are greatly increased Ia number by a great in
crease OF electricity in our atmosphere. Flee.
tricity IS the life principle. aud when IL is
rightly understood by our physicians they will
have better success in prolonging life.
The Fourth Corps.
EDIToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Can Won in
form me what General commanded the Fourth
Corps, Army 81 the Cumberland. during the
years l-a3 Gi?-CIAELEs lCF, Wayzltl. MINI.
ANSWER: The Fourth Corps, Army OF the
Cumberland, was formed Sept -. 1863. and
placed under the command Of Maj. ten Gordon
Granger lie was shortly afterwards relieved,
and Gen Oliver o. Howard assigned in COM
mand. During the Atlanta campaign Con.
Howard was assigned 10 the command Of the
Twentieth Corps. aud was succeeded by Gen.