PREFACE. 



THE following record of seasons, prices, and other 

 facts interesting to the agriculturist, and also to 

 every observer of natural phenomena, was collected 

 by the writer in the first place from notes which he 

 had made on the principle of Captain Cuttle, whose 

 advice was " When found, make a note of." After 

 the succession of adverse seasons which culminated 

 in 1879, remarks were continually being made that 

 our English climate had deteriorated to a very great 

 extent. This induced the writer to endeavour to 

 ascertain whether any appreciable change had taken 

 place within historical limits, or whether we were 

 always liable to cycles of cold, wet, and ungenial 

 seasons. The result of his researches is the follow- 

 ing collection of facts, which have been extracted 

 from old chronicles and other standard works ; the 

 authority whence taken being added to each. And 

 it appears to him that the English climate was 

 always much the same as at present. Periods of 

 famine have occurred at various times, invariably 

 caused by wet and cold seasons. One of these 



