167 



or four days, and heavy losses were sustained from injury to locomotives and 

 rolling stock generally. 



Coloma, Illinois. — February 22. — Distant tliunder in the west from 3 p. m. to 

 4 p. m. 28th, frost nearly all out of the ground. The mud has rendered the 

 roads almost impassable for the last two weeks. 



Springfield, Illinois. — February 14. — 'Tlie wind blew a gale to-day from the 

 west and northwest, and the worst snow-drifts for many years. Some stock 

 perished in the drifts. 



Mount Sterli7ig, Illinois. — Several gentlemen, after carefully examining the 

 peach-buds in their orchards in this town and vicinity, pronounce them all or 

 nearly all killed. 



Loami, Illinois. — February 7. — Blue-birds made their appearance. 21st, first 

 song from the robin. 



Wyanet, Illinois. — February 14. — The most tedious storm since January 1, 

 1864. Intensely cold on the 15th, and morning of the 16th. Many fowls and 

 some hogs and calves were frozen to deatli* and railroads drifted so as to stop 

 travel. 



Golconda, Illinois. — February 6. — Blue-birds first appeared. 28th. — No 

 thunder or lightning this winter, and the ground has been at no time covered 

 with snow. 



Harrisonville, Missouri. — February 23. — At 4 a. m., thunder commenced in 

 the west, with a shower of hail which continued about half an hour, when it 

 became distant towards the southwest. 



Wyaconda Prairie, Missouri. — February 15. — Snow-drifts nearly as high 

 as the fences. 20th, sleighing all gone; it has been good since the 19th of 

 January. 27th, robins singing, prairie chickens crowing, blue-birds returned. 

 28th, wild ducks and killdeers returned. Wyaconda bottom overflowed since 

 the 23d. 



St. Louis, Missouri. — February 21. — Ice running in the river until to-day, 

 so as to interrupt navigation, especially on the 15th to the 18th. Thunder- 

 storm on the 23d at 9 a. m. 



Athens, Missouri. — Februaiy 14. — The Avind blew a gale, driving the snow 

 into immense drifts, filling the lanes running north and south and seriously ob- 

 structing travel. 26th, observed the first blue birds of the season. 2Sth, 

 numerous flocks of wild geese and ducks going north. 



Monticello, Iowa. — February 15. — Ground frozen three and a half feet on 

 the unbroken prairie. 28th, the temperature of wells in this vicinity, as far 

 as examined, is 45° for the lowest, 46° highest. This is the warmest day of the 

 month; snow going rapidly ; streams are rising very fast. This has been the 

 coldest month this winter. 



Independence, Iowa. — February 28. — The snow is now melting very fast, and 

 a few days like the present will break up the ice and open the river. 



Clinton, Iowa. — February has been a very changeable^ month, with some ex- 

 tremely cold weather; sleighing lasting until the end of the month. There are 

 no air-holes in the river, except one, for miles up and down. The ice is from 

 two to two and a half feet thick, very firm and solid. There have been holes open 

 in every mile or two every winter, during the coldest weather, for four years 

 past. A high river is expected this spring. 



Guttenberg, Iowa. — February 14. — Northwest storm from west-northwest 

 set in at 4 a. m., drifting the snow in large masses. 



Ceres, Iowa. — February 28. — Frost in the ground four feet deep. 



Independence, Iowa. — February 28. — Sleighing has been good for seven con- 

 secutive weeks. Yesterday the snow commenced melting, and to-night it has 

 nearly all disappeared. Asa consequence, the small streams are overflowing 

 their banks. 



Madison, loica. — February 13. — Seven and a half inches of snow fell to- 



