2 A Retrospective View of the 



The season of 1840, which has just closed, was unusually 

 fine; probably more favorable to vegetation than any previous 

 one for several years. The winter of 1839 — 40 was not 

 severe, and no injury, that we know of, was sustained by 

 trees and plants. The month of May opened delightfully, 

 and from that time, to the early part of June, the weather was 

 warm, accompanied with genial rains and refreshing show- 

 ers, and quite remarkable for the absence of easterly storms, 

 which often prevail at that season: vegetation advanced rapid- 

 ly. From the middle of June, however, to the latter part of 

 July, there was scarcely a single shower, and throughout a 

 greater portion of the State, as well as the northern part of 

 New York, quite a drought prevailed, and fears were enter- 

 tained for the loss of crops; but it was not of sufficient dura- 

 tion to do them material injury. Early in August, the weath- 

 er, which had been hot and dry throughout June, became 

 cooler, and several heavy showers fell during the month, from 

 which period, up to November, there was a due quantity of 

 rain, which brought forvs^ard crops that were retarded by the 

 drought, with great rapidity, and a more abundant harvest has 

 rarely been reaped. November, though a mild month, was 

 disagreeable, from the long duration of cloudy and foggy 

 weather, accompanied with heavy rains, amounting, in the 

 quantity which fell, to upwards of ten inches, being the great- 

 est quantity which has fallen in one month, except in one 

 instance, for ten or twelve years. 



Corn, which in New England has been, for a few years 

 back, a rather uncertain crop, has fully ripened every where. 

 The wheat crops of the west have been very large. The 

 potato crop of Maine, which, in 1839, was injured by too 

 much rain, has been much larger than usual. Fruit, of most 

 all sorts, has been abundant, and of excellent quality; and the 

 products of the kitchen garden have been of uncommon size 

 and superiority. 



Our remarks will be arranged under the various heads of 

 Horticulture, Floriculture, Arboriculture, Landscape Garden- 

 ing, Public Gardens, Commercial Gardens, Cemeteries, &.C. 



Horticulture. 



In this department, considerable attention has been devoted 

 to fruit trees, and the cultivation of new varieties, particu- 



