308 WEATHER. 



great frosts, and a few respecting some very hot 

 summers, that have distinguished themselves from 

 the rest during the course of my observations. 



As the frost in January, 1768, was, for the 

 small time it lasted, the most severe that we had 

 then known for many years, and was remarkably 

 injurious to evergreens, some account of its 

 rigour, and reason of its ravages, may be useful, 

 and not unacceptable to persons that delight in 

 planting and ornamenting ; and may particularly 

 become a work that professes never to lose sight 

 of utility. 



For the last two or three days of the former 

 year, there were considerable falls of snow, which 

 lay deep and uniform on the ground without any 

 drifting, wrapping up the more humble vegetation 

 in perfect security. From the first day to the 

 fifth of the new year, more snow succeeded ; but 

 from that day, the air became entirely clear, and 

 the heat of the sun about noon had a considerable 

 influence in sheltered situations. 



It was in such an aspect, that the snow on the 

 author's evergreens was melted every day, and 

 frozen intensely every night ; so that the laurus- 

 tines, bays, laurels, and arbutuses, looked, in three 

 or four days, as if they had been burnt in the fire ; 

 while a neighbour's plantation of the same kind, 

 in a high, cold situation, where the snow was 

 never melted at all, remained uninjured. 



From hence I would infer, that it is the 

 repeated melting and freezing of the snow that 

 is so fatal to vegetation, rather than the severity 

 of the cold. Therefore it highly behoves every 

 planter, who wishes to escape the cruel mor- 

 tification of losing in a few days the labour and 

 hopes of years, to bestir himself on such emer- 

 gencies ; and, if his plantations are small, to avail 



