248 The Spring of 1852, in Illinois. 



Art. II. The Spring of 1852, in Illinois ; with a List of 

 the earliest Floiuerijig Plants, and their Period of Bloom- 

 ing, from 1847 to 1851. By E. S. L. Richardson, Ken- 

 dall, 111. 



The following article, by Mr. Richardson, of Illinois, will 

 be found highly interesting ; and in comparison with the list 

 of plants published in a previous volume, (VII, p. 201,) and 

 furnished us by the late Wm. Oakes, will show the relative 

 season of blooming in two remote sections of our country, 

 Massachusetts and Illinois. We have already given some 

 account of the severity of the past winter in Ohio and Ken- 

 tucky, and it will be seen that it has been equally cold in 

 Illinois : 



This spring is quite backward with us ; last Saturday, 

 Sunday, and Monday, (3d, 4th, and 5th,) we had the worst 

 storm that we have had for years, so late in the season. On 

 the 3d we had snow and rain ; and as much if not more snow 

 than any other time during the winter; 4th, a violent rain, 

 and 5th, rain and snow, with a very strong wind. Tuesday, 

 6th, was our annual town meeting, and two of us started on 

 foot to go ; about three or four miles off. It was too bad 

 for horses, as the snow had drifted, and had a thin crust of 

 ice just below the siu'face. We went to our brother's, about 

 a mile, and gave it up, and came back. The snow was some- 

 times over our boots — and in one place up to our knees — and 

 we would break through the ice in it nearly every step. It 

 was then clear sunshine, and the snow melting fast. Next 

 day we had snow and rain again. Yesterday, chiefly clear, 

 the snow melting and running off in rivers. To-day is quite 

 clear and fine — in places the ground is bare — in others are 

 drifts of snow from one to two feet deep. (I have measured 

 a drift since I began this, and found one near the house 22 

 inches deep, and think some in the yard may be a little deep- 

 er.) 5th instant, the rain froze on the trees as fast as it fell, 

 till they were loaded with it, and young trees bent till they 



