292 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



June 



For the Aew Eiifrfand Farmer. 



THE WINTER IN CANADA. 



A long and severe winter has just passed, and 

 perhaps a summary review of the weather in this 

 vicinity may not be uninteresting to New England 

 readers. Cold weather commenced early in the 

 11th month, 1854. On the morning of tlie 5th, 

 the mercury fell to 14^, and I learn by the New 

 Enr/land Fanner that it fell to the same degree 

 in the vicinity of Boston. From the Ist to the 

 4th, the range of the mercury was 40*, which 

 was also tl e range for the month, the extremes 

 being 54'^ and 14''. 



AVith the 12th month, winter began to reign in 

 reality. Snow fell every day of the first seven, 

 and it was two feet deep in the woods. On the 

 morning of the I'Jth, the mercury fell 18'^ below 

 zero, and the 22d it was below zero all day. The 

 mean temperature from the 17th to tlie 23d, in- 

 clusive, was only 3.95'^ above. The mean of the 

 19th was 9"^, of the 22d 8*, and of the 23d zero. 



The 1st month, 1855, was milder, yet the mer- 

 cury fell to 14'' on the morning of the 25th, 

 and we had some severe snow storms ; not less 

 than four and a half feet fell during the month. 

 The 2d month, however, caps the climax of coU. 



On the morning of the 5th, the mercury fell to 

 28"^, which is lower than it had fallen here in 

 twenty-five years ; yet we were destined to expe- 

 rience a greater degree of cold than this. Tiie 

 6th was the coldest day on record in this count}'. 

 At 6 o'clock, A. M., the mercury fell to 38"^, and 

 the mean temperature of the day was 24J'^. The 

 highest temperature of the day was 9" below zero. 

 The extreme cold weather was not confined to 

 this section of country, but it extended over a 

 large area in this latitude. In Carroll county, 

 N. il., a little south of us, and 400 miles east, 

 the mercury fell to about the same degree. At 

 Watertown, and some other places in the north- 

 ern part of New York, it fell to 40*^. At this 

 place, the mean temperature of the month, at 

 o'clock, A. M., was 0.90'^. 



The weather in the 3d month was variable, yet 

 its WuiVerm_5f reputation was fully sustained. We 

 had a great deal of wind, and some tedious days, 

 yet the mercury did not fall below zero. 



At the beginning of the 4th month, a great 

 deal of snow lay upon the ground ; but, 

 "At last from Aries rolls the bounteous sun," 



the snows dissolve, and earth, divested of her 

 winter mantle, assumes her vernal robes. Sleighs 

 were in use until the 5th. People began to talk 

 of the certainty of a late spring, but the snow 

 melted rapidly, and there being little or no frost 

 in the ground, it dried fast, and at this time the 

 season is as forward as usual. Considerable plow- 

 ing has been done, and some grain sown. Crass 

 starts finely, having been well washed by winter 

 rains, and the greater part of winter grain looks 

 remarkably well. I think the prospect for a crop 

 is considered good. 



Robins, l)lack-birds, swallows and blue-birds, 

 came about the middle of the month. Larks are 

 now singing their matin songs, and we have now 

 a full choir of vernal songsters, which, with the 

 few wild flowers that are seen in the borders of 

 forests, serve to enliven the heart of nature's 

 lovers. 



We have had some sudden changes in tempera- 



ture during the winter. In the afternoon and 

 night of the 11th, of 2d month, the mercury fell 

 50" in 17 hours, and in t!ie afternoon of the 21st 

 it fell 21" in fuur hours. From the Gth to the 

 11th the range was 80". 



The mean temperature of the 11th month was 36.66" 



" " " 12th..." 20.40° 



" " " 1st...." 26.66° 



" " " 2rl " 15.91° 



" " " 3(1 " 29.14° 



" " « 4th...." 42.11° 



Total depth of snow which has fallen at this 

 place this winter, 10^ feet. L. Vakney. 



Dloomfidd, C. W., 5 Mo. \st, 1855. 



For the Neiv England Farmer. 



A HOME PICTURE. 



BY MKS. A.N.S E. ror.TEIi. 



An old man sat by the chimney side, 



Ills face was wrinkled and wan ; 

 And he leaned both hands on his stout oak cane, 



As if all his work were done. 



His coat was of good old-fashioned gray, 



With pockets both deep and wide, 

 Where his "specs," and steel tobacco boi, 



Lay snugly side by side. 



The old man liked to stir the fire, 



So, near him the tongs were kept ; 

 Sometimes he mused as he gazed at the coala. 



Sometimes he sat and slept. 



What did he see in the embers there ? 



Ay ! pictures of other years ; 

 And now and then they wakened smiles, 



But oftener started tears. 



His good wife sat on the other side, 



In the high-backed flag-seat chair ; 

 You see 'neath the frill of her muslin cap 



The sheen of her silvery hair. 



She wears a "blue checked" aproD now. 



And is knitting a sock for him ; 

 Her i)ale blue eyes have a gentle look, 



And she says "they are growing dim." 



I like to call and tell the news, 



And chat an hoxjr each day, 

 For it stirs the blood in an old man's heart 



To hear of the world away. 



Be kind unto the old, my friends, 



They're worn with this world's strife, 

 Though bravely once perchance they fought 



The battle here with life. 



They taught our youthful feet to climb 



Upward life's rugged steep; 

 Then let us lead them gently down 



To where the weary sleep. 



Letters. — The April number of the New York 

 Quarter!]/ Review has an article on "Post Office 

 Improvements," in which it is stated that the 

 Boston people annually average about thirty- 

 three letters each ; tiiose in New York about 

 twenty-four ; in Philadelphia fourteen ; in New 

 Orleans about sixteen ; and in Baltimore ten. 

 In the aggregate of the large cities of the United 

 States there is an annual average of about twenty 

 letters to each person. In the country districts 

 there are only about three letters annually to 

 each person, and in the whole United States about 

 four to each person. 



