New Jerfey, Raccoon. 375 



than they had been for feveral years paft. They 

 came this week, and continued here for about a 

 fortnight, after which they all difappeared, or 

 advanced further into the country, from whence 

 they came. I {hall fpeak of them more parti- 

 cularly in another place. 



Mar. 7th. SEVERAL people told me, that it 

 was a certain fign of bad weather here when a 

 thunder-ftorni arofe in the fouth or fouth weft, if 

 it fpread to the eaft and afterwards to the north : 

 but that on the contrary, when it did not fpread 

 at all, or when it fpread both eaft and weft, 

 though it fhould rife in fouth or fouth weft, yet 

 it would prognofticate fair weather. To-day it 

 was heard in fouth weft, but it did not fpread 

 at all. 



TILL now the froft had continued in the 

 ground, fo that if any one had a mind to dig 

 a hole, he was forced to cut it through with a 

 pick-ax. However it had not penetrated above 

 four inches deep. But to-day it was quite gone 

 out. This made the foil fo foft, that on riding, 

 even in the woods, the horfe funk in very deep. 



I often enquired among the old Engli/kme* 

 and Swedes, whether they had found that any 

 trees were killed in very fevere winters, or had 

 received much hurt. I was anfwered, that 

 young hiccory trees are commonly killed in 

 very cold weather; and the young black oaks 

 likewife fuffer in the fame manner. Nay fome- 

 times black oaks, five inches in diameter, were 

 killed by the froft in a fevere winter, and fome- 

 times, though very feldom, a fingle mulberry- 

 tree was killed. Peach-trees very frequently die 



B b i in 



