No. 199.] 291 



gravity. Frost at this season of the year, seldom reaches the points 

 of much elevation. In this neighborhood we have situations that al- 

 most invariably escape. Such has been the lot of the orchard of Mr. 

 George W. Riogs, one of your committee. In 1847 his crop was 

 abundant, whilst the orchards immediately around him had scarcely a 

 peachj and most of them not a solitary one. In the orchard of Mr. 

 Cammock, another successful cultivator, on another elevated ridge, 

 the effect was the same. In his orchard though the difference be- 

 tween the highest and lowest points could not have been more than 

 25 to 30 feet, yet the difference could be traced in almost every row of 

 trees and on those in the lowest places scarcely a peach could be found. 



Mr. Cammock reports that particular sorts, from some constitution- 

 al cause, seemed tol)e more exempt or more hardy than others, yet 

 the difference in the different points of elevation was equally evident 

 among those as among other sorts. 



The different orchards throughout this section, have been affected 

 the present season almost universally in the same way as in 1847 j 

 and though the committee have no means now of ascertaining the 

 comparative state of the thermometer at any given point between the 

 two seasons, yet they are of opinion that the cold of this year was greater 

 than that of 1847. 



As an illustration of the difference of cold in points of different el- 

 evation, observations made at two different points in the grounds by 

 the chairman of the committee are here introduced. 



A. D. 1835* Jan. 8th, 20 min. before sunrise, top of hill, 4 deg. 

 below zero. 



A. D. 1835 Jan. 8th, 20 min. before sunrise, bottom of the hill, 

 18^ deg. below zero. Difference 14^ deg. 

 A. D, 1835, Jan. 9th, same time, top of hill, 12 deg. below zero. 



bottom do, 16| do 



difference 3| deg, 

 Jan. 10th, same time, top of hill, 2 deg. above zero, 

 bottom do, 7^ below 

 difference 9^ deg. 

 The highest of the two points where the observations were made 

 was the spot on which his house stands, 120 feet higher than the other 

 point, and only 400 yards distant from it. The house stands at a 

 point far below the elevation of much of the surrounding country, and 



•This was "the cold winter." 



