120 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The consequence was, that on the first of May the prospect of an early 

 spring had vanished. About this tiuie the injury to evergreens, grape 

 vines, and many shrubs and plants, began to be apparent. In some local- 

 ities, laburnums and altheas were killed to the ground, grape vines very 

 much injured, and many other plants and shrubs much damaged. It is a 

 puzzle to know what were the causes of the extensive injuries done to trees 

 and plants, and for the singular effects witnessed in some localities, where 

 one tree would be killed, while another by its side remained untouched, — 

 and ether unaccountable freaks. 



Some have referred the damage to the pievious autumn, as all vegetation 

 was in active state until the middle of November, when it was suddenly 

 checked by severe cold ; others to the severity of the winter ; while others 

 again attribute it to the unusually warm weather in March, causing an 

 active flow of sap, which was held long in check by the severe cold winds 

 of April; but wiiatcver may have been the causes that produced it, no 

 human skill could have averted the fatal results. 



The pear and cherry trees were not in full bloom till about the middle of 

 the month, or about ten days behind time. The bloom was abundant, and 

 the prospect for a large crop very flattering; but how were we doomed to 

 disappointment ! On the night of the 14th of May my thermometer fell to 

 28°, which produced not only a frost but a freeze ; so much so, that not only 

 the ground was slightly frozen, but the leaves and blossoms of my pear, 

 cherry and other trees were stiff with frost. The prospect was not very 

 brilliant that morning, and probably most of you thought, as I did, that the 

 cherry and pear crop would be a total failure. Fortunately a dense vapor 

 arose from the ground, which obscured the sun till the foliage was gradually 

 thawed, and instead of witnessing the melancholy spectacle of blackened 

 foliage, there did not at first appear to be any damage. It was, however, 

 soon ascertained that, in many varieties of pear, the fruit had been de- 

 stroyed, or, in other words, did not set, and other varieties more or less 

 injured. The cherry crop proved almost a failure. The peach buds were 

 destroyed in the winter or spring, and hardly a blossom appeared. 



The month of June was remarkable for the heavy rains that fell, amount- 

 ing to about three times the usual average quantity for the month, accom- 

 panied by unseasonable cold weather, interspersed with a number of frosts 

 on low grounds. 



Strawberries were injured when in bloom by the frost in May alluded to, 

 particularly those varieties whose flowers are produced on long stems, with 

 the flowers above the foliage ; as the Brighton Pine, for instance, which 

 did not produce half a crop ; while the Jenny Lind, whose flowers are hid 

 under the leaves, produced a full crop. 



The cold wet term continued into July, and slight frosts were reported 

 even in this month, so that it could hardly be said that summer commenced 

 much before the 10th, The dry jterm then commenced, and, with the 

 exception of a few showers, in some places, we suffered for want of rain, 

 and a severe drought prevailed all the rest of the summer. Light frosts 



