17 



REPORT OF SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE. 



The Supervisory Committee of the Norfolk Agricultural Society 

 submit the following Report in regard to their observations for the 

 year 18(32 :— 



The winter of 1861-2 was rather mild. Snow fell in the latter 

 part of December, and remained on the ground till late in March. 

 The first snow-storm ended in rain, Avhich, being absorbed by the 

 snow, was converted into ice by the cold weather which followed. 

 Several subsequent storms w^re of similar character, and were 

 followed by similar weather. The result was that the ground be- 

 came covered with a covering of ice, of eight inches or more in 

 thickness, which remained solid and unbroken for more than two 

 months. The effect of the ice was to kill much grass. The man- 

 ner in which this result is produced we will not undertake to 

 explain ; but the fact that ice, adhering firmly to the ground, 

 destroys grass, more or less, is well known. Another fact de- 

 serves mention in this connection : The covering of ice pre- 

 vented the field-mice from burrowing amongst the grass, and these 

 animals, straightened by hunger, were forced to resort to trees, 

 which they attacked above the ice, gnawing off the bark, and thus 

 destroying them. Much damage was done in this way. 



The snow and ice finally disappeared, chiefly from the influence 

 of the sun, under an unusually high temperature for the season, 

 causing high freshets in many streams — the Connecticut and some 

 other northern rivers having reached a higher point than before 

 for many years. April and May were much dryer than usual — 

 only 4.05 inches of rain having fallen during those months against 

 7.30 inches as the average. But with the beginning of June the 

 weather became wet, and from that time onward there was not*a 

 day during the season when grass, or any other vegetation, in this 

 section, indicated any want of moisture.* 



* The unusual wetness of the last summer and autumn, in this vicinity, having 

 been tlie subject of general remark, the Chairman of your Committee thought it 

 might be important to obtain accurate statistics, sliowing how the season would 

 compare with others, in regard to the quantity of rain for each montli. A note, 

 therefore, was addressed to Professor G. P. Bond, of Cambridge, who kindly 

 furnished a table, giving the quantity of rain and melted snow registered at the 

 Observatory of Harvard College, from the beginning of the year 1862 to Novem- 

 ber 28th of the same year, with the average amount for thirty-four years at Bos- 

 ton. From this it appears that, notwithstanding the remarkable dryness of April 

 and May, the aggregate quantity of water which fell from the 1st of January to 



