SOLON ROBINSON, 1832 47 



Peculiarity of Oat Crop 



[Madison Indiana Republican, June 21, 1832] 



Solon, la. June 17, 1832. 



Messrs. Arion & Lodge: — Through your paper I wish 

 to mention, that the curious might cogitate upon it, a 

 great natural curiosity that seems to prevail this year, 

 perhaps universally. 



Strange and improbable as it may appear, there is on 

 every leaf of the present growing crop of oats, a plain 

 and handsome well proportioned letter B. 



The fears of the superstitious are considerably excited. 

 Some are determined that B. stands for Burn — and the 

 approaching comet is to consumate their prophecy. 1 

 Others try to believe it stands for Blood — and the pres- 

 ent sheding of the red fluid by the Indians, is sufficient 

 proof to them, that they have hit upon the right sig- 

 nification. 2 



Others, judging very reasonably from present appear- 

 ances of the oat crop in this vicinity, think that it stands 

 for Blast. 



Others still more reasonably think it only a curious 

 freak of Nature. — For myself I give no opinion, but ad- 

 vise every lover of nature's curiosities to repair to the 

 oat field, examine for themselves and form their own con- 

 clusions. 



Your friend, 



Solon Robinson. 



1 The American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge 

 for the Year 1832, 24, mentioned the expected return of Encke's 

 and Biela's comets in 1832 and of Halley's in 1835. 



1 The Indiana Republican carried weekly reports of the Black 

 Hawk War. In June, 1832, Governor Noble issued a call for 150 

 riflemen to guard the frontiers of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties. 

 Ibid., June 14, 1832. 



