NOTES OF THE WE ATHEK— APRIL, 1866. 



FROM THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 



Steuhfn, Mame. — April 6. — In digging a grave frost was found four feet 

 down, owing to there being no snow and the long continuance of cold weather. 

 10th and 11th, very white frost. 15th, an inch and two-tenths of snow fell 

 last night. 18th, very heavy frost; ground as white as if covered with snow. 

 21st, a thunder-shower at 7 p. m. ; sharp lightning. 24th, hard rain last night, 

 at times with hail. A thunder-shower from 4 to 5 o'clock this morning. The 

 lightning struck a house in West Gouldsberry, rendering it untenantable till 

 repaired. A lady was injured and her child killed. 2Sth, it freezes quite hard 

 in nights. 



Cornish, Mame. — April 7. — Snow from 9 to 11 p. m , half an inch. 21st, 

 thunder and lightning from 5 p. m. to 7 p. m. from the northwest. oOth, grass 

 very forward for the season. 



Sfandisk, Maine. — April 17. — Heavy frost last night; ground frozen quite 

 hard this morning. ISth, ice broke up in Sebago lake. 21st, showers from 

 5.30 p. m. to 8 25 p. m., with lightning. 24th, frost disappeared from the 

 ground. 26th, 27th, ground froze a little on both these mornings. 



West Water ville, Maine. — April 18. — Spring work on the farm commenced. 

 19th, ice cleared from snow pond to-day below the Narrows. 



Lisbon, Maine — April 2. — Two men crossed on the ice at Southwest Bend. 

 4th, ice all out of the river. 21st, thunder-storm at 5 p. m., the first this sea- 

 son. 30th, the month closes with cold, windy weather; but very little farming 

 done yet. 



Lee, Maine. — April 9. — White frost this moiming. 14th, steamboat runs to 

 head of navigation on Penobscot river. 20th, ground clear of frost. 24th, 

 diflfuse lightning and distant thunder at 6 a. m., first this season. 



North Barnstead, New Hampshire. — April 21. — Heavy thunder from 4 to 6 

 p. m. coming from the west and passing off" in an easterly direction. 28th, 

 thunder from the west and noi-thwest. 



Stratford, New llavifshirc. — April 3. — First appearance of robins. 18th, 

 white or soft maple in bloom. 21st, first appearance of barn swallows. 25th, 

 mountain tops white with snow. 26th, three-quarters of an inch of snow this 

 morning. 



Shclhurne, New Hainpshire. — April 7. — Androscoggin river open. 12th, 

 grass just starting. 23d, lilac leafing. 26th, snow-squalls. 30th, heavy frost, 

 ground frozen. 



Barnei, Vermont. — April 1. — The ground froze unusually deep the past 

 winter, to the depth of three feet. 5th, the Connecticut river broke up. 23d, 

 the first thunder of the season. 24th, the barometer stood lower than for 

 several years. 30th, there has been much less rain than usual in this month ; 

 there was none till after the middle, yet the season is rather more forward 

 than usual. 



Middlcbury, Vermont. — April 30 — The month has been quite dry, the sea- 

 son is early, and the farmers have sowed grain two weeks earlier than usual. 



Topsjicld, Massachusetts. — rApril 18. — Caterpillars just making their appear- 

 ance in usual numbers. 27th, black frost, doing no perceptible injury to vege- 



