METEOROLOGICAL SYNOPSIS. 113 



The yearly meteorological phenomena, as they regard temperature, 

 amount of rain fallen, and barometrical pressure, were the average of other 

 years; but the distribution of rain and warm weather was very unusual. 

 July and August were very cold ; September very warm — so much so as 

 to be exceptional to the general laws of temperature for the months. They 

 were very rainy — September having a greater amount of precipitation than 

 any correi-poncling month of which we have record. 



The result of this unfitvorable weather had a disastrous effect upon the 

 agricultural communities in securing the hay and wheat crops ; much of it 

 was damaged, and but a very little hay wa secured without injury. The 

 fruit and summer crops were abundant and excellent in quality, and, upon 

 the whole, the farmer was well repaid for his toil. October and November 

 were very pleasant, and compensated for the unpleasant weather that pre- 

 ceded them for some three or four months. The Indian Summer was much 

 prolonged, and week after week the sun rose from his slumbers with his 

 golden face, and travelled through the hazy mellow atmosphere shorn of 

 his fiercest rays, sinking at night upon his western couch amid the glories 

 of a thousand splendors ; and even stern Winter allowed the genial embraces 

 of Summer, like Autumn, to encroach upon his season until almost the 

 " Merry Christmas Bells " admonished him that it was high time that he 

 assumed his sovereign sway and issued mandates from his frigid realms ; 

 even then his freezing, blustering way was tempered with m Idness, and 

 the Old Year took his departure, bearing but few traces of Winter's mark. 



[Assem. No. 239. J 15 



