Meteorological Journal. 133 



For the winter months, .... 32.80*^ 

 " " spring months, .... 49.50 

 " " summer months, .... 69.25 

 " " autumnal months, . . . 55.22 

 The winter has been three degrees warmer than that of 1836 ; 

 and the autumn five degrees ; while the summer has been two 

 degrees cooler, and the spring one degree warmer : thus equal- 

 izing the heat, and favoring the growth of the vegetable world. 

 From the cool and wet state of the summer, the wheat crops 

 were ten days later than usual in ripening, and the harvest con- 

 tinued until the fore part of August, while in usual seasons it is 

 completed by the middle of July. The crops of all kinds were 

 uncommonly fine. Indian corn suffered somewhat from the ex- 

 cessive rains in June, thereby preventing its receiving the usual 

 dressings from the plow and hoe. 



The blossoming of fruit and other trees was retarded beyond 

 the average period in the spring, but was in the following order : 

 Peach in bloom the 28th of April ; pear and cherry, the 1st of 

 May ; apple, 5th of May ; papaw, black walnut and butternut, 

 the 16th of May ; Ribes villosa and Prunus virginianus, the 16th 

 of June- 

 June and July of this year were remarkable for excessive rains 

 and tornadoes. The bottom lands on all the small streams which 

 rise in the broken country near the Ohio, were overflowed from 

 two to three times, and the crops of grass and grain along their 

 borders either entirely destroyed, or greatly damaged. The loss 

 to the agricultural community was very great. 



The amount of rain for the year has been 43y«o\ inches, which 

 is over the mean for this region. The aurora borealis has been 

 seen a number of times during the year, especially on the 25th 

 of January, when it was most grand and splendid ; also on the 2d 

 and 3d of June, and 1st of July. We have been visited by no 

 destructive storms of wind or hail, and the year, on the whole, 

 has been a very propitious one to man and the vegetable and ani- 

 mal kingdoms. 



Marietta, February 2d, 1838. 



