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1771 Wheat, 47*. 2d. per qr. (Official Returns). 



Average rate of wages, 75-. $\d. per week. Bread, 

 per 4 Ib. loaf; butter, 6\d. per Ib. ; cheese, $d. ; meat, 

 3</. per Ib. (Arthur Young). 



Severe frost till the last week in January. To the first 

 week in February, rain and snow. To the end of February 

 spring weather. To the end of the third week in April, 

 frosty weather. To the end of the first fortnight in May, 

 spring weather, with copious showers. To the end of 

 June, dry, warm weather. The first fortnight in July, 

 warm, rainy weather. To the end of September, warm 

 weather, but in general cloudy, with showers. October, 

 rainy. November, frost, with intervals of fog and rain. 

 December, in general, bright, mild weather, with hoar 

 frosts (Gilbert White). 



Severe winter (Penny Magazine) . 



Thames entirely frozen over at Fulham in January 

 (Boyle). 



May 6. By letters from Gloucester we learn that the 

 late rains have produced such an alteration that every- 

 thing promises a plentiful crop, though a late one. 

 July 31. A violent tempest of thunder and lightning at 

 Wymondham, Norfolk, and August nth, another at 

 Saffron Walden. It is supposed there have been more 

 tempests in Walden this year than in all England besides. 

 Great hurricane i2th to i4th October. Many oxen which 

 formerly sold for ;io now sell for ,20, and a horse at 

 three years old is worth 1 5 guineas, an ox at the same 

 age about 7 los. (Oxford Magazine). 



Dr. Johnson says that in 1771 the season was so 

 severe in the Island of Skye that it is remembered by 

 the name of the Black Spring. The snow, which seldom 

 lies at all, covered the ground for eight weeks, many 

 cattle died, and those that survived were so emaciated 

 that they did not require the male at the usual season. 

 The case was just the same with us here in the south ; 



