Question

Write a 3-page comparative analysis of The Farmer’s Almanac for the Year 1833 and Hostetter’s Illustrated California Almanac 1893. Compare and contrast the presentation and significance of data in each almanac.

Answer 1

Almanac is a book containing astronomical, nautical, astrological or other events of the year. In other words, this is an annual publication listing the forthcoming events of the year. Some almanacs may also contain historical and statistical information regarding these events. Almanacs provide information on rising and setting times of the sun and moon, tide tables, phases of the moon, the position of planets, and religious festivals. It also includes various other information such as weather forecasts and farmer’s planting dates.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac was published in 1792 during George Washington’s first term as president. Although many other almanacs were being published at that time, Thomas’s upstart almanac became an immediate success. In fact, by the second year, circulation had tripled from 3,000 to 9,000. Back then, the Almanac cost only six pence

The Old Farmer’s Almanac different from the others, Since his format wasn’t novel, we can only surmise that Thomas’s astronomical and weather predictions were more accurate, the advice more useful, and the features more entertaining.

The Old Farmer's Almanac is a reference book that contains weather forecasts, tide tables, planting charts, astronomical data, recipes, and articles on a number of topics including gardening, sports, astronomy, and farming. The book also features anecdotes and a section that predicts trends in fashion, food, home décor, technology, and living for the coming year.

The first Old Farmer's Almanac (then known as The Farmer's Almanac) was edited by Robert B. Thomas, the publication's founder.

Thomas served as editor until his death on May 19 , 1846. As its editor for more than 50 years, Thomas established The Old Farmer's Almanac as America's "most enduring" almanac by outlasting the competition.

Thomas used a complex series of natural cycles to devise a secret weather forecasting formula, which brought uncannily accurate results, traditionally said to be 80 percent accurate. (Even today, his formula is kept safely tucked away in a black tin box at the Almanac offices in Dublin, New Hampshire.)

In 1861, Charles Louis Flint became editor and provided his readers with a heavier emphasis on farming. The next two editors, John Boies Tileston and Loomis Joseph Campbell, served short terms and made no format changes.

Robert Ware took over as the book's sixth editor in 1877 and served for 13 years before his brother, Horace, was named to the position in 1900. During Horace Everett Ware's 19 years as editor, he began to orient the book toward a more general audience by replacing the scientific agriculture articles with general features on nature and modern life.

The eighth and ninth editors, Frank B. Newton and Col. Carroll J. Swan, kept the Almanac tradition alive through wartime and the Depression.

A new beginning

In 1939, Robert Sagendorph, founder and president of Yankee, Inc. (later known as Yankee Publishing, Inc.), acquired the publishing rights to The Old Farmer's Almanac and became its editor.Sagendorph had moved his family to Dublin, New Hampshire in 1930, and started the magazine Yankee in 1935. Feeling that tradition was the Almanac's strongest suit, Sagendorph immediately reestablished its format and editorial style to reflect the interests of the general populace much as it had a century earlier.He was fond of quoting Robert B. Thomas, who wrote in 1829 that the Almanac "strives to be useful, but with a pleasant degree of humor."Under Sagendorph's leadership, The Old Farmer's Almanac thrived and readership grew each year.

The key difference between almanac and encyclopedia is that the almanac is an annual publication containing astronomical nautical, astrological or other events of the year whereas the encyclopedia is a single or multi-volume publication that contains authoritative knowledge on many subjects or many aspects of one subject.