4 A Retrospective View of the Progress of 



Cambridge, during the winter ; again, on the 19th, 4P below 

 zero ; 20th, 10° below ; and the 21st, 6° above ; after which 

 it became milder, and the snow began to thaw rapidly. 



The month of March was milder. On the 2d, song spar- 

 rows were heard for the first time, and the snow continued 

 to wear away ; the 5th was cool, with the temperature at 6° ; 

 on the 7th, robins made their appearance, and after this it 

 gradually became warmer, with rain, so that the frost was 

 nearly out of the ground on the 19th. From the 24th to 

 the 31st it rained incessantly. 



April opened favorably, and the 4th was a very warm day. 

 On the 12th it became cooler, and on the 15th the tempera- 

 ture was as low as 20°, with a hard frost ; the 16th it was 

 the same, (20°,) and it continued cool to the end of the 

 month. May commenced with the thermometer at 78°, and 

 continued mild and fair till the 13th, when a light rain fell, 

 succeeded with cool and pleasant weather again. On the 

 20th, the pear trees were in bloom; the 21st, the thermome- 

 ter reached as high as 88°. The last week was chilly, with 

 east winds and some rain, but free from frost. June began 

 with heavy showers on the 1st and 4th, after which no rain 

 fell until the 29th, and then but just sufficient to damp the 

 soil. The whole month was warm, and the 22d was the 

 hottest day in the year, the temperature rising to 102° in the 

 shade. July continued warm and dry, and vegetation suf- 

 fered severely. On the 13th, the thermometer was 101°, and 

 the month continued hot and excessively dry throughout. 

 August continued the same, until the 6th, when there was a 

 light shower; succeeded, on the 11th and 13th, by heavy 

 rains, the first to revive vegetation since the 4th of June. 

 The remainder of the month was pleasant and showery. 



September was cool and favorable, with showers. Octo- 

 ber opened with a severe storm, succeeded by others on the 

 7th, 10th, and 28th. The first frost to injure dahlias and 

 tender plants was on the morning of the 15th. From this 

 to the close of the month the weather was fine for the season. 

 The 1st of November was cool, with the temperature at 

 24° ; this was followed by cold mist and rain from the 5th 



