Chap. I. CLIMATE, SEASONS, kc. 66 



April 14. Drying wind and miserably cold. Fires 

 again in daytime, which I have not had 

 for some days past. 



15. Warm, like a fine May-day in England. 

 We are planting out selected roots for 

 seed. 



16. Rain all last night. — Warm. Very fine 

 indeed. 



17. Fine warm day. Heavy thunder and 

 rain at night. The Martins (not swal- 

 lows) are come into the barn, and are 

 looking out sites for the habitations of 

 their future young ones. 



18. Cold and raw. Damp, too, which is ex- 

 tremely rare. The worst day I have yet 

 seen during the year. Stops the grass, 

 stops the swelling of the buds. The 

 young chickens hardly peep out from un- 

 der the wings of the hens. The lambs 

 don't play, but stand hiit up. The pigs 

 growl and squeak ; and the birds are 

 gone away to the woods again. 



19. Same weather, with an Easterly wind- 

 Just such a wind as that, which, in March, 

 brushes round the corners of the streets 

 of London, and makes the old, muffled-up 

 debauchees hurry home with aching joints^ 

 — Some hail to-day. 



20. Same weather. Just the weather to giv<"^ 

 drunkards the "blue devils.'' 



21. Frost this morning. Ice as thick as a 

 dollar. — Snow three times. Once to co- 

 ver the ground. Wentoffagain directly. 



22. Frost and ice in the morning. A very 

 fine day, but not warm. — Dandelions in 

 bloom. 



23. Sharp white frost in morning. Warm 

 and fine dav. 



" 6* 



