THE MAGAZINE 



O F 



HORTICULTURE, 



JANUARY, 1846. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



Art. I. A Retrospective View of the Progress of Horticul- 

 twe in the United States, during the year 1845. By the 



Editor. 



Three such dry seasons as those of 1S43, 1844 and 1845, 

 have rarely been experienced in succession, in the Middle 

 and Eastern States ; severe drought prevailed in some of the 

 summer months, in each of these years, to the great injury 

 of vegetation of all kinds. The winter of 1844 and 1845 

 was mild and rather pleasant ; a heavy drifting snow fell in 

 February, which covered the ground for two or three weeks, 

 when mild weather carried it off and left the ground so 

 dry and free from frost, that ploughing was commenced and 

 continued during the month. April and May. however, con- 

 tinued cool, with scarcely any rain, and a severe frost 

 occurred in the latter month, which did much damage ; 

 destroying in the West, where, from the very mild winter 

 and remarkably early spring, vegetation was much advanced, 

 the whole crop of fruit. In June, the weather was quite 

 cool, and the season backward, but, after the middle of the 

 month, a succession of light and refreshing showers, gave 

 renewed life to vegetation, and brought forward crops of all 

 kinds. July, again, was exceedingly dry, with scarcely a 

 shower; and the drought continued till the latter part of 

 August, when there was a succession of refreshing rains, 

 September was very cool and showery, and without frost. 

 October was pleasant, and no injury was experienced from 

 frost until tlie 20th, when the dahlias were cut off the same 

 night as far south as Washington. The rains of both 1844 



VOL. XII. NO. I. 1 



