GLIMPSES OF LIFE IN THE DISTRICT. 165 



what my father always said in reply to that question ; he 

 said there are eight months winter uninterrupedly, that 

 was a settled thing, then two months spring, and two 

 months autumn, all the rest are summer." That is a little 

 exaggerated. I found it almost invariably two months 

 only without frost, more or less. You can't set out your 

 annuals before the 15th of June. I have had them all 

 frozen up on the 25th of June ; and once during my resi- 

 dence there there was a heavy fall of snow on the 5th of 

 July, and two men found frozen in a brick shed not far 

 from my house having lain down drunken no doubt 

 overnight. The cold temperature ranges about from 15 

 to 25 Reaumour, and sometimes 35 and 41, but not 

 often nor long, though I have seen mercury beaten on the 

 anvil like lead. In the summer, when the wind is south- 

 east, it is nearly stifling. In the spring I have seen the 

 mosquitoes in clouds hanging over the woods. The only 

 protection to the skin is turpentine or smoke, so you have 

 to decide which you can best endure stink or stings.' 



