Season of IS13. 279 



THE SEASON. 



This season has not been favourable to the roots of 

 the 3fangel- JFurtzel ; nor, latterly, to the leaves. They 

 have, indeed, escaped caterpillars, aphides, and other 

 insects, better than those of many other plants ; but 

 the early frosts have nipped and lessened my fourth 

 stripping. The growth of the leaves, in most years, 

 continues late in November. If we have yet mild wea- 

 ther, the roots will increase. 



I do not know how it is, generally, with others ; 

 but my tap-rooted plants, of all kinds, have smaller 

 roots, (the tops being too luxuriant,) than I heretofore 

 remember, in any season. The common beet exhibits 

 this diminutive appearance. My grounds were never 

 better attended ; nor in higher condition. Frosts, and 

 cold weather, have arrived uncommonly early. We 

 have had, through the season, frequent cold rains ; but 

 few, if any, genial and invigorating showers. A drought 

 at a critical period, retarded the progress of tap-root- 

 ed plants ; in this quarter. 



Hardy, coarse, and pestiferous weeds, of all kinds, 

 have been thrown up in such embarrassing profusion, 

 that I do not recollect ever to have been so much in- 

 fested by them. Mice, moles, and vermin of all sorts, 

 have been uncommonly numerous. Grasshoppers and 

 crickets, aphides, of countless varieties ; and caterpil- 

 lars, of every size and species, have annoyed us, in pro- 

 fuse numbers; — the caterpillars, most remarkably abun- 

 dant. The latter were stupidly indiscriminate, as to 

 their places of resort ; and, not having been governed 

 by the usual instinctive attractions, our houses have 

 been defiled, by their nauseating visits ; and vast ag- 



