76 Meteoi'ological Report for the year 1828. 



ordinary mildness of the air, it had been generally free from 

 frost, the grass had remained almost uniformly green, nor 

 had grain and other green vegetables sustained the injuries 

 which usually result from open winters. The 28th of March 

 (the time already mentioned when the thermometer was at 

 69) was welcomed by the frogs, by a concert unusually merry 

 for the season. 



Notwithstanding the uncommon warmth of the winter in 

 this state, and in the states south of us, yet according to 

 the public papers, the same period was distinguished at cer- 

 tain places north of us, for unusually cold weather. The 

 winter was reported to have been very severe in Nova Sco- 

 tia and at Detroit ; and, at Green Bay on the 4th of March, 

 the mercury was lO'^degrees below zero. In April, though 

 the weather was mild, yet the progress of vegetation was re- 

 tarded by cool nights. Peach trees began to blossom on 

 the 20th, which was no earlier than the same fact was ob- 

 served in 1827. On the 7th and 8th of this month, the frost 

 returned with some severity throughout the southern states,. 

 At Georgetown in South Carolina, the ice was an inch thick 

 although on account of the unusual mildness of the prece- 

 ding months, summer fruits were in great forwardness, and 

 blackberries were fully ripe. 



Early in May our fruit trees were in blossom and gave in- 

 dications of unusual abundance, — a promise which was not 

 very well fulfilled. The spots on the sun, which have ap- 

 peared in extraordinary numbers, the greater part of the year, 

 were particularly remarkable during this month. On the 

 22nd, the telescope with a power of 40, revealed eleven spots 

 on the solar disk, consisting chiefly of clusters. One of the 

 spots was very large and was surrounded by an extensive 

 penumbra. About six inches of rain fell this month ; and 

 descending chiefly in showers, it contributed to bring vege- 

 tation to a state of great perfection, and our city* was per- 

 haps never more verdant than in this and the following 

 month. About the 20th of June,* commenced a period of 

 uncommonly wet and sultry weather, which lasted until Au- 

 gust. A little previous to this time, the hopes of the hus- 

 bandman were highly elated by the prospect of most abun- 

 dant crops of grass and grain ; but the continual rains which 

 succeeded, prevented his securing either, without great dam- 



* Having large public squares, and numerous forest and fruit trees and 

 srordens. — Ed. 



