474 OBSERVATIONS Part IV. 



June. 



Towards the end of laft month, the horizon was covered from- 

 eaft to fouth with thick clouds, the fore-runners of a ftoi m of hail, 

 thunder, and rain, which did a great deal of mifchief in the Limofin 

 and Berry. From that time, the lame part of the flcy remained 

 continually covered with heavy clouds,, which made us hope we. 

 fliould have rain. In eftedl, it did rain pretty often in the Limofin ; 

 but we had not the fame advantage. It is commonly obferved, that 

 in dry years, it rains oftener than elfe where, in thofe places where 

 great fhowers have fi\llen feme time before. Perhaps the reafon may- 

 be, that the exhalations which rife from the earth in thofe places 

 meeting thofe which form the clouds, make tliem fall down in 

 fhowers of rain. 



On the 4th, we had a fmall fliower of pretty large hail, and fome 

 claps of thunder were heard. One of our elms, the trunk of which 

 might be 14 or 15 inches in diameter, was broken in two by the 

 thunder ; and two of its greateft branches were carried away to a 

 conliderable diftance. 



On the 1 2th, the fainfoin, which had remained very low, "Was 

 houfed. The corn, tho' not tall, made a good appearance; and the 

 vines were in full bloffom. The fmall kinds of grain were in great 

 want of water. The hafty rains which fell from time to time did 

 a great deal of good in feveral places : but, in general, they were 

 not plentiful enough to moiften the earth thoroughly, and were only 

 jull futficient to keep the oats from perifliing. Accordingly, the 

 ponds in moft of the -villages near us were dry. 



The thermometer rofe feveral times this month to 27, 28, and 

 29 degrees above freezing : and the air may be faid to have been hot 

 and dry during all this month. 



Towards the middle of the month, part of the caterpillars being 

 metamorphofed, a prodigious quantity of all forts of butterflies ap- 

 peared. 



By the i8th, the orange trees were in full bloom. By the 25th, 

 we had early apricots upon the table. Amel, or ftarch-corn was cut 

 on the 28th, and the rye drew towards aftate of maturity. 



July, 



