276 Kansas Academy of Science. 



'droughty Kansas.' ... It seemed for a time that the powers 

 of heaven and earth were against us. . . . Previous to 1860 a 

 good many trees were planted. The hot winds of that summer 

 told on them, and in after-years the south side of the trees showed of 

 the fearful heat which they had passed through, for there was al- 

 ways a dead part. That year will go down in history as having the 

 hottest day on record. ... It was in July, ... a fright- 

 ful day. People fled to their cellars and every door and window 

 was closed. It was as if the wind was coming from a red-hot fur- 

 nace for nine or ten hours. 



"Next day we looked to see what damage it had done; birds, 

 chickens and stock had succumbed, and the trees were badly in- 

 jured; the tender things for two feet on the south side were as dead 

 as if a fire had swept through them." 



The year 1874 has been called a drought year, but it was not; it 

 it was a grasshopper year. 



(Subject to be continued as "Historic Climatology.") 



