SECRETARY'S REPORT. 39 



of moisture. The grass grows with such rapidity, when well 

 supplied with moisture, that iu Lombard}', where irrigation is 

 vi'iv general, they often cut four and five crops during the 

 summer, and this, though there are four or five months when 

 vegetation is at a stand. In our wet seasons it is not uncom- 

 mon to get two or three crops, while in very dry years we 

 may think ourselves fortunate if we can get one good one. 



Smith says, in 17(11. June 25, "It is as melancholy dry a 

 time as I ever saw." July 5. — "As great a drought as in 

 1749.'" 7. — "Fast, on< account of the distressing drought/' 

 11. — -Gentle showers.'' August 1. — "The drought awfully 

 continues.'' 12. — " Xo feed on the Neck a great while." 1 6. — 

 " The drought increases." 19. — " Storm of rain." 



The crop of hay was very much below the average, having 

 suffered excessively from the drought, and the grain was still 

 more injured. Corn could not be had the following winter, 

 and many who were accustomed to use it were obliged to resort 

 to biscuit and flour. And while the drought was burning up 

 the grass and the crops, fires raged in the woods, destroying- 

 mills and bridges, and doing much other damage. The rain 

 came on the 19th of August, and "remarkably renewed the 

 face of the parched earth."' 



This year would doubtless have been long remembered and 

 referred to, as one of the most distressing epochs in the his- 

 tory of farming, but for the terrible drought of the next year. 

 (1762,) which exceeded every thing of the kind before known in 

 the country. This drought deserves a passing notice. 



The winter of 1761-2 had been long and dreary, and the 

 snow, which began to fall as early as the third of December, 

 constantly accumulated till it was more than five feet in depth 

 on a level. In many places it had drifted until it was piled up 

 in mountains. It was a time of deep distress for the poor 

 every where. The drought of the previous summer had greatly 

 diminished the supplies of hay, and farmers had depended on 

 getting through the winter by browsing their cattle in the 

 woods. This hope was now cut oft" by the deep snow. The 

 poor, suffering, starving animals, cows, horses, sheep and swine, 

 died one after another, as if the cup of distress were not full 

 enough already. Hay sold at one hundred pounds a ton, and 



