64 



THE GENESEE FAR^rER. 



NOTKS ON THE WeATHKR FROM DkCBMBEE 15tH, 1862, 



TO January 16th, 18(i3.— The temperature of the first 

 half of December was above the !ivera<ie for twenty-six 

 years by 2.8", and of the last half by 4.9'", being 30.4°. 

 The mean of the month is 81.9°, being 3.8" above the 

 general average. The cold of the 20th, at 7 A. M., was 

 6", and of the next morning was 8°. Incfeed, the 20th 

 and 21st were cold days, the mean of the former being 

 only 8.3^. Warm weather followed, and the noon of the 

 25th was 52°. 



The cloudiness continued to the last day, so that for 

 two months we had only two or three days nearly clear, 

 ynow or rain fell on ten days of the last half; but no 

 sleighing here. Indeed, the snow-storm of the 30th, 

 which gave sleighing from Canaudaigua eastward be- 

 yond Syracuse, and at forty miles southeast of us, at 

 twenty or thirty miles south, and westward to Biiflalo, 

 was over this large section only clouds and wind from 

 the northeast. On the 31st the wind changed to south, 

 and then to west, and a splendid clear evening under a 

 bright moon followed. None could be finer ; and thus 

 closed the last day of the year. The water of the month 

 was only 2.S4 inches. 



The snow-squalls of the 16th and 17th gave us 1.27 

 inches of water, but snow so blown about as to leave 

 much bare ground. The canal was frozen on the 17th, 

 but the ice disappeared in a tew days. The rainy time 

 of 25th to 27th gave of water 0.82 inch. The canal was 

 nearly emptied, but on the 29th was filled again to bring 

 in some boats of coal, which was effected in a day or 

 two. No ice in the canal at the end of the jear. 



The following annual results are given : The mean 

 temperature of the year is 47.2", and of the twenty-six 

 past years is 47.0°. Julr was the hottest month, 70. S", 

 and February the coldest month, 24.7°. The greatest 

 heat was 02°, in July, and the least was 1°, in January, 

 so that the temperature was not down to cipher, though 

 it has been 10° and 20^ even below. Frosts occurred 

 into the summer months, the last being June 16th, which 

 killed cucumbers, beans, Ac, and left port next morning. 



The average of water fallen is for twenty-six years 

 82.31 inches, but the water of 1862 is 37.59 inches — 

 greater by 5.28 inches. 



The year has been very productive in the fruits of the 

 earth. The grains and the fruits, with all their adjuncts 

 have abounded. The operations of business have been 

 successful and profitable. Money has been plenty in the 

 departments of industry, though salaries have been so 

 firm that they could not advance. The earth and indus- 

 try have not shown us war; but man has warred on the 

 battle-field. "Watchman, What of the night?" 



January, 1863, opened with a splendid New Year's day, 

 and for four days very fine weather greeted us. Delight- 

 ful it was after two months of very cloudy weather. 

 New Year's day, 1856, approximated in fineness that we 

 have 80 recently enjoyed. 



The average heat of the first half of January is 83.3 ° , 

 which is 7 ° above the mean for twenty-six years. This 

 heat of this part of January is uncommon. But, in 1838, 

 this mean was 86.7 ° — very high for the season. That 

 of this half for 1889 and 1855 was about 82®— a little 

 cooler than in this year. 



After tlie warm first half of January, 183S, the hiat 

 half was cold, and all February very cold. So in Janu- 

 ary, 1839 the last half was quite cold, and the first half 

 of February. So it may be in the last half of the cur- 

 rent January and the succeeding February. But — no 

 man can tell. In 1837 both January and February wei-e 

 cold months. 



This half month has been pleasant; the coldest 17' 

 and the warmest 54° ; wheeling good; nosleighing; but 

 a northeast snow-storm began at noon of the last day, 

 and at nine in the evening (the 15th) snow was three 

 inches deep and a prospect of more. 



The canal was frozen on the 1st, but the ice all melted 

 on the 4th, and a business trip in a boat was made from 

 Lockport to Buffalo and back on the 5th. Canal frozen 

 fast on the 7th. 



A flock of Cherry Birds {Bomhydlla CarohnensU) have" 

 often been seen, and on the 5th were devouring the fruiti 

 of the Mountain Ash. 



Fine as the weather has been so far in January, all 

 must expect the colder to come in due time. 



The Rural Annuals. — Editors Genesee Farmer : Withv 

 your permission I wish to say a few words about these 

 valuable little Annuals through the Farmer, though 

 emiuating from the same office, believing that there may 

 still be some who have a false impression concerning 

 them. 



My impression, before obtaining them, some two years, 

 ago, was that they would be filled with calendar tables, 

 chronological tables, advertisements, Ac, but on their re- 

 ception I was pleased to find not a page thus filled; but 

 on the contrary, valuabje articles right from the butt of 

 the heap of knowledge at the time of writing them. 



There are now seven published, and the eighth far ad- 

 vanced toward completion, containing from 100 to 120 

 pages, small 12mo. each, amounting to about T50 pages, 

 in colored paper covers, for one dollar and forty cents, 

 postage prepaid. The paper, print and illustrations are 

 all good, with many standard illustrated advertisements 

 of agricultural and horticultural inii>lcments in an extra, 

 with comprehensive indexes to the subject matter and 

 engravings of each volume under several heads, amount- 

 ing to some 500 useful illustrations to the farmer, to the 

 gardener, to the artisan, or to the general reader. 



In looking over the tables of contents, it appears that 

 the seven volumes contain nearly a hundred treaties upon 

 Rural Economy, and these are divided and subdivided, 

 according to the subjects treated of in each. These 

 treaties are not all on different subjects, but several upon 

 the same — such as rural architecture, injurious insects, 

 Ac— 0. W. True, Franklin County, Me. 



The eighth volume, 1863, is now ready. The whole set 

 of eight volumes will be sent to any address for $l.fi0, 

 free by return mail ; or, if preferred, the whole set will 

 be sent, hanpsomelr bound in two volumes, for $3.00, 

 prepaid by return mail. 



Farmers in Illinois- were plowing during Christmas 

 week. The Prairie Farmer asks: "Have our farmers 

 imported tropical climate as well as tropical plants into 

 Illinois!*" 



