2O AGRICULTURAL SURVEY OF chap. /. 



This county, from its peculiar situation, and 

 from the almost uniform direction of its hills 

 and valleys from east to west, is much exposed 

 to the winds,, which blow from the east, north- 

 east, and south-east. These winds not only 

 sweep along the high grounds, but force their 

 way through the valleys without obstruction ; 

 so that the whole county, excepting some par- 

 ticular spots, accidentally favoured by situation, 

 lies exposed to their assaults. Armed with the 

 cold of the great northern continent, over which 

 they pass, and unsoftened by the small extent 

 of sea they have to cross, they are keener and 

 colder than the winds from any other quarter ; 

 and often prove hurtful to vegetation, especially 

 when the springing grain is yet in the tender 

 blade. The winds from the south-west are usu- 

 ally the most weighty and violent ; and some- 

 times do material injury to the farmer, by 

 shaking his ripe grain in harvest. 



In the spring and beginning of summer, ve- 

 getation is frequently retarded by alternate frosts 

 and thaws, which greatly injure the pasture- 

 grass and hay crops. But our wheat fields, if 

 the plants keep the ground, are seldom the worse 

 for being retarded. Hoar frosts frequently hap- 

 pen as late as the middle of June, and some- 

 times later. If wheat be in the ear, and in blos- 

 som, when this takes place, it will infallibly be 

 more or less subjected to blight, or what is call- 

 ed mildew : which it generally escapes, if its 

 growth be checked in the spring. 



From the dry bottom, and natural warmth of 

 the soil, the north division, and the south banks 

 of the river Eden, have harvest eight or ten- 



