present an appearance very similar to what is naturally effected.

THE YEAR 1825.

We are naturally solicitous to look back upon seasons remarkable for atmospheric phenomena, and compare their results with that which is passing before us, though we may be fully sensible, that no conclusions can safely be drawn from them, a variety of circumstances not known, or not comprehended, combining to produce results beyond our means of calculation. There have been times when such recollections brought no pleasure with them, by displaying the injuries and sufferings that hurricanes and floods have occasioned; and thus we who were witnesses of the distress occasioned by the lamentable rains of 1793, and the several successive years, when every wheat-sheaf presented a turf of verdant vegetation, cannot recollect it without sorrow, or ever forget that famine in our land. Yet it is amusing, on some occasions, to note the extremes of weather that our island has experienced; for though in general our seasons pass away without any very considerable dissimilitude, still we have

known periods of great irregularity, drought or moisture, cold or heat. The freezing of great rivers, with the roasting of animals and passage of carriages upon the ice, our calendars and diaries relate; but instances of an opposite temperature, affording less striking events, are not so fully detailed as might be wished. The winter of 1661 appears to have been remarkable for its mildness; and it is rather curious, that in the century following, the winter of 1761 should have been equally notable for the mildness of its temperature. The winter of 1795 seems to have partaken of none of the severity usual to the season; and the summer of 1765 was remarkable for its heat and dryness, and all vegetation being influenced by their effects, brought forth fruits and flowers in unusual perfection.

But perhaps the year 1825, taking all its circumstances, is the most extraordinary to be found in our annals. The winter of 1824-5 had been mild and wet; the ensuing spring dry, but with keen winds and frosty mornings, which greatly injured the fine blossoms, that appeared on our fruit trees ; and the continued and profuse nightly fall of the honey-dew was quite unusual: the leaves of the oak, the cherry, and the plum, were constantly smeared and dropping with this

clammy liquor, which, falling from the foliage on the ground, blackened it as if some dark fluid had been spilled upon it; the leaves of most of our stone fruits curled up, covered with aphides, and became deciduous; and their young shoots were destroyed by the punctures of these insects that clustered on them. This honey-dew continued to fall till about the middle of July, affording an abundant supply of food to multitudes of bees, moths, and other insects, which swarmed about the trees. We rarely begin cutting our grass before the first week in July; but in consequence of the heat of June in this year, it was SO drawn up, that much hay was made and carried by the 20th of June, which commonly is not accomplished till August. Our crops on good ground were considered as fair, though in general the chilling season of May had occasioned a deficiency; but all our clover crops and artificial grasses were harvested in the finest order, producing good sized ricks and mows; yet their bulk was delusive, the provender cutting out light and strawy. The heat and drought continued with very partial and slight showers of rain all June and July; nor had we any thing like serviceable rain till the second of August. In consequence our grass lands were burned up,

known periods of great irregularity. moisture, cold or heat. The fres

rivers, with the roasting of anir of carriages upon the ice, diaries relate; but instance perature, affording less

OF THE YEAR 1825.

361

which, falling from the foliage

it as if some dark fluid

ackened it

up, covered with aphides,

on it; the leaves of most of

and their young shoots tures of these insects

honey-dew condle of July, af

to multitudes wwarmed

so fully detailed as

ter of 1661 appears its mildness; and i century followin

have been equa temperature. partaken of

son; and for its

mis

our heated

scots cracked, furni-ped with seams; a sandal

nad been in use for upwards of

, in dry rooms, shrunk and warped form; a capsule of the sandbox tree crepitans), which had remained in repose cuer a shelf above the fire-place for an unknown i length of time, now first experienced an excess

of dryness, and exploded in every direction; door-frames contracted, window-sashes became fixed and immoveable. These are trifles to relate, but yet they mark the very unusual dryness of the atmosphere.

Monday and Tuesday, July 18th and 19th, will long be remembered as the acme of our

01

OF THE YEAR 1825.

ermometer standing in the shade 'nicating immediately with the 'tuation, at 82o of Fahren

367

which, falling from the foliage

ened it as if some dark fluid

the leaves of most of

vered with aphides,

your shoots

se insects

"

the air, on which the **hout any influence In towns, and

the heat was

v felt like

.eavy and op

C unpleasant sensa

perature usually creates;

stressed, the young rooks of

ntered our gardens, and approached

Jors, as in severe frosts, with open bills, panting for a cooler element; horses dropped exhausted on the roads; many of the public conveyances, which usually travelled by day, waited till night, to save the cattle from the overpowering influence of the sun. The leaves of our apple and filbert trees, in dry situations, withered up; large forest trees, especially the elm, had their leaves so scorched by the sun, that they fell from their sprays as in autumn, rustling along the ground; the larch became perfectly deciduous. In our gardens, the havoc occasioned by the heat was very manifest. The fruit of the gooseberry, burnt up before maturity, hung

B B