Meteorological Journal at Marietta, Ohio. 241 



times ; showing great inequality in the temperature of our sum- 

 mer months. 



The crops of grain and fruit were generally very good, fully 

 equal to those of any previous year, especially in the production 

 of apples and peaches. The growth and ripening of melons was 

 much retarded by the coolness of the summer ; while the exces- 

 sive rains of July, over eight inches in depth, not only rotted the 

 roots of the vines, but greatly injured the grapes, causing a mildew 

 and blight on the foliage and fruit. Apples were never liner, and 

 that portion of Washington county bordering on the Ohio river 

 furnished twenty-three thousand barrels for the markets, above 

 and below Marietta. The soil and climate are admirably adapted 

 to the growth of the apple, and no portion of the United States 

 can show more perfect fruit than that seen in the orchards of the 

 Ohio valley. 



The mean of the spring months was fifty-two degrees and 



fifty-nine hundredths; the heat of May being somewhat greater 



than in some years, exceeding that of 1847 by about three 



degrees. Spring frosts were less destructive to fruit blossoms 



than common, and where they prevailed did not kill the germs, 



as they do in some years. A smart frost on the 15th day of 



April, when the plum and pear were in bloom, and the peach had 



not yet shed its petals, although the temperature fell to 28°, did 



not much injure the fruit, as full crops of all but cherries were 



produced. This variety of fruit having been very abundant the 



year before, may account for its failure, as trees which have rested 



one year will bear much more frost the next, having acquired 



vi gw by the period of rest, and more able to resist the action of 



cold than trees somewhat exhausted by a previous full crop of 

 fruit. 



Floral Calendar for 1848.— February 20th, Garden Crocus in 

 bloom, and honey-bees at work on their blossoms. 



March 24th, Garden earth so dry as to admit of working, and 

 fhe seeds of various esculent vegetables were planted. 29th, 

 Hyacinth in bloom. N. R In this month snow fell to the depth 

 of three inches, on the 3d and 9th. On the morning of the 4th, 

 the thermometer fell to 5° above zero. Peach-trees were quite 

 forward, showing the rich color of the unopened petals, the size 

 °f a small pea. It was feared that this great depression of tem- 

 perature would destroy the vitality of the embryo fruit ; but as 

 the germ was protected by the leaves of the uuexpanded flower, 

 it escaped unharmed. It is a wonderful provision of nature to 

 Protect the fruit bud, although far advanced in its progress 

 towards maturity. 



April 1, Hepatica triloba in bloom; this is usually out in 

 ^arch, as early as the 15th or 20th. Peach nearly in bloom. 

 Apricot in blossom, but killed by the cold in March ; 5th, Peach 



Second Series, Vol. VII, No. 20.— March, 1849. 31 



