Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1898-05-06
STORMS THIS YEAR.

"American Tobacco preferred.
STORMS THIS YEAR.
Prof. Hicks on the Hail Storms Of 1893
Perhaps there is no man in the
United States who has as thorough
knowledge, and who has SO accurately
forecasted great storms in our Western
States as REV. IRL r. Hicks. His
Almanac is universally acknowledged
rs the best, and the following taken
from his paper, Word and Works, will
no doubt be of interest to those inter-
ested in growing crops which arc en-
posed to the elements.
TALKS ON HAIL STORMS.
In many western and northwestern
parts of our country, destructive hail
storms are much to be dreaded, espec-
tally at seasons of the year when grow
ing crops or ripened harvests are
exposed to their fury. Farmers and
those who represent many other
branches of industry know how merci-
lessly ruinous these hail storms are,
and it is not surprising that they
should seek all possible information on
the subject. Hundredsof importunatc
letters reach our table, asking our
opinion as to the cause of these storms
why they are more frequent and
destructive one year than another, and
when they are likely to be more fire.
quent in the future. We have fire.
qucntly explained in our Almanac and
in Word and Works why hail storms
are more frequent, from purely ter
restrial causes, about the month of
April than any other time of year.
This annual period is greatly aggra-
waited when certain other astronomical
causes combine in April. But the hail
storms most to be dreaded by our
friends out over the great grain belts.
are those which occur later in the
season, and when any animation OF
causes seem to forebode heavy hail
storms in the summer months, it be-
comes matter of vital interest to wide
sections of our country.
In 1.-The Planetary Storm Prophet"
which we printed and copyrighted in
October, 1854, we made this statement:
Conservation will show that almost all
violent hail storms occur during
equinoxes of Venus and Vulcan COM
bined." And now after fourteen years
of additional and careful observation,
we confidently assert the Venus dis
turbances are marked in a phenomenal
way by destructive, electrical storms
of thunder and hail. AS we write this
item, March the 18th, we are near the
center of Venus equinox, and even ut
this early date. with billiards. raging
northward, terrific hail and thunder
are reported from Texas and other Sec
lions of the south.
A glance at our storm diagrams for
June and July on pages 81 to 81 of our
Almanac for 1898. will show that the
next Venus period covers a large part
Of our central summer this year. This
being the case, there are good grounds
to apprehend frequent and disastrous
hail storms, about the time they are to
be most dreaded in northwestern sec
lions. At this time of year Minnesota,
Iowa and corresponding ATTITUDES east
and west of those states, lie as rule
along the tract of the most violent hail
storms. We believe that the dates
about which the worst storms oc-
cur are laid down in our storm dia-
grams.
There seems to be no escape from
the loss entailcd by these hail storms,
unless it be by some mutual ar
engagements by which farmers and 9TH
ers can indemnify each other in case of
loss The paths of destruction arc us
ually narrow, so that the, many who
escape, if trustworthy arrangements
are made. can easily share the rnisfort-
unes of the few. There is nothing
more equitable and business-lil1e than
honest, judicious insurance against
loss by hail storms and tornadoes. We
have always commended the wisdom
of such precautions.