REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE. 145 



and summer, and thus vegetation became gradually enfeebled, and 

 the autumn of 1871 found it entirely unprepared to resist any ex- 

 traordinary climatic influences. 



The drought in May, July, August and September, of 1871, 

 was, as we have said, excessive, and the heat of unparalleled inten- 

 sity. The rain-fall of June seemed to be at once evaporated by 

 the burning sun, and failed to penetrate the ground to any depth. 

 On the first of July the ground in exposed places was as dry at a 

 depth of eighteen inches as in the September of 1870 — indeed, it 

 was generally dust-dry, and the lower springs were almost without 

 water. 



This being the condition of the soil, July, August and thfe first 

 weeks of September caroe with unparalleled heat, day after day of 

 cloudless sky and burning sun, followed by dewless nights. The 

 effect was soon manifest ; the little surface moisture was evaporated, 

 the grass browned, newl3'"-planted trees died, vegetables dried up, 

 bedding plants shrivelled and refused to grow, and even sub- 

 tropicals mutely protested against their native climate, with no 

 resources at hand from which they could draw the necessary 

 moisture. 



This was especially severe upon evergreens, which generally 

 looked badly, and it is not too much to suppose that many were 

 even then too far gone for anj'' resuscitation. 



The life of all plants was thus greatly enfeebled, the growing 

 tissue was weakened, the sap-vessels were collapsed, and it only 

 wanted a severe autumn and winter to complete the incipient de- 

 struction of the summer. 



On the eighth of September, 1871, the first frost occurred in the 

 vicinity of Boston, so severe as to freeze grapes on the vines, and 

 in many situations to totally destroy all tender plants. 



This again was unparalleled, for our first frosts are usually so 

 light as to do but little damage to vegetation. 



Again, on the twenty-second of September came another severe 

 frost, which totally destroyed the little which the preceding frost 

 had spared. 



Thus, before the first of October our autumn had begun, and 

 our gardens were as bare of flowers as they usually are far later in 

 the season. 



What the effect of these frosts was upon the enfeebled and dried 



