its Climate, Productions, ^'c. 291 



The average quantity of snow is about 72 inches, and the 

 time for good sleighing about two months. 



The average time for currants to be in full bloom is May 7. 



Cherry and plum, . . . . " 14. 



Apple, . . . . . " 22. 



For these extracts from tables I am indebted to our distin- 

 guished naturalist and historian, Rev. Z. Thompson. The 

 observations were made at his residence near the university 

 of Vermont, at Burlington — one mile from, and two hundred 

 and fifty-six feet above, the lake. 



By these tables it may be seen that spring and fall are both 

 late. This is caused in part by the formation of the lake. 

 It has a small outlet, and receives no water but what orig- 

 inates in its own valley, — consequently the ice remains until 

 it melts out, and, as farmers say, " keeps the fruit blossoms 

 back." Although in blossom the 20th of May, from the 

 10th to 20th of October is the usual time for picking winter 

 apples. Perhaps in no part of the country is the apple crop 

 as sure. There has not been a failure from spring frosts 

 since I have been a resident of the valley, (twenty-three 

 years) and but once a failure of currants, (1834.) 



No town on the borders of the lake was permanently set- 

 tled before the American revolution. A few scattered set- 

 tlers were in many towns, but they all left, so that in 1783, 

 (sixty-seven years since) settlements were commenced. Ev- 

 ery man sowed apple seed and soon planted an orchard, and 

 to encourage it, eight years after, the legislature exempted 

 from taxation all land planted with apple trees, at the rate of 

 forty to the acre. Nearly all of the orchards planted by the 

 first settlers remain, and many have been since planted. 

 With the poor attention the orchards now receive, the valley 

 on the Vermont side is capable of exporting thirty thousand 

 barrels of apples yearly, and with proper attention to the old 

 orchards this amount may soon be doubled. 



The early settlers of Canada brought trees of all the best 

 French apples with them, and many pears, plums, (fcc. 

 When it became an English province many English mer- 

 chants and farmers settled in and near the large towns, and 



