The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-10-25
Pests and Coming Crops and
Seasons.

O~l~@f N@AANA N0AAtAAN3 (tO09 GAfANl
Seasons.
The summer and first half Of autumn
in 1896 viii long be memorable amcrg
close observers for the phenomenal heat
and dryness recorded both in Europe
snd America and for the telling elect
which those atmospheric conditions had
on the haryssts.
Ihs htsst government Iop report
shoVins tbe state cf The shM growing
cfor5 ou the isl inst. aud the estimated
yields of the recently baryesle,ll nalur-
ally reflects the anpropiIious features Of
the seasons in this country. The wheat
production IS put down ll.3 bushels per
acre, being ~ bushels less than was
made Of the crop year ago It is ex-
planned that the small yield resulted
from the dTouth in the autumn Of 1892,
which caused poor germiaation and
growth, and the severe cold Of last win
ter killing much Of TIE winter wheat.
In the corn belt the drought was more
acutely and iDjuriously felt. and eonse-
quenuy it is not surprising that the gov
ernment ststissicians put the general con-
dition Of corn this month at 55.l, against
79.S in October, IS92-a loss Of AZ points.
Theegually bador worse showing Of the
cJtton crop on the 1st inst. is thus official
ly accounted for
The weather conditions have not been
favorable, while prOtrated and widely
prevalent drought, excessive moisture in
some places and the various insect enc
mics Of the plant have all contributed
toward producing the low conditions.
In some quarters it is thought these
estimates are too low. But, when the ex-
traordinary character Of the past sum
mer IS considered, decided and general
shortage of crops both in Europe and
America was foregone and certain con-
clusion long before any statistical esti-
mate could have been published. NJ.
Camille FlammaTion's scientific journal
says: The summer Of I6g3 has been as
abnormal as IFS spring. The month of
Aug.st will be set down in the frOnt
rank Of the most torrid periods ever OBJ
served in France" Numerous ike re-
ports were published in other parts Of
Europe duringt the summer. the phencm-
ensl heat wave extending over both the
continent and the British Islands. At
least twice iOnee in June and again on
August IS the sun thermometer at
Greenwich registered 1862 degrees Fab
renheit.
The fall meteorological summaries for
August have not yet been published, but
they will probably show that the exeeP-
tionaIly torrid and droughty midsum-
mer of 1895 in Europe was general in all
the great agricultural regions Of the
northern hemisphere, excepting sea
board regions, where the play Of the va
D0r-bearing mOns0ons, or sea-winds
brought relief to the parched crops. In
the United States the government wealth
er bureau reported that in jane "in the
lower lake region, the Middle Missouri
valley, New Mexico, Idaho AMI Eastern
Washington the precipitation was the
least on record for June, and drought or
deficiency Of rainfall prevailed in
many other sections, while in Northern
New England, Western New York, the
upper lake region, the D4kotas and the
Southwes; the month was the waTmest
June on record. According to the came
authority last July was warmer than
the average in the Ohio and Middle and
Upper Mississippi valleys and the CEN
trail and western lake region" and other
large interior areas, and 'the warmest
July on record in the Carolinas, Ken
lucky and Central Texas.
There seems to be no reason to doubt
that these extremely important climatic
excesses, widespread over the northern
hemisphere. are to be accounted for on
the the theory that hot, dry seasons in
the great continental plateaus and val
leys necessarily occur when the sun is
passing through period Of extraordina-
ry activity. According TO astronomical
authorities such period commenced
with 1872 aud will eontinue till lS9j.
During the solar stage Of excessive dis
turbance, usually lasting about three
years, it seems that the winters and
springs have a tendency to be exception
ally cold, though, paradoxical as it may
seem, the midsummers and aGtumns are
warmer and drier than the average.
However scientists may theorizs on the
cause OF these strange variations in the
seasons, chronological records apparent
ly afford strong evidence, as the Herald
has before pointed out, that variations Of
this kind actually Occur in the extensive
central regions Of the Continents.
Farmers and planters may thus draw
profitable lessons from the experience Of
1898, when planting for next years work.
II is not likely that the unftyor4ble con
ditions Of this year viii be repeated IN
the same degree during lS94 But the
farmer will do wisely to provide, as far
as possible, gtiGst their recurrence and
devote most Of his land to those crops
which have done best during tine recent
irving seasons.