140 TWENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE REGENTS 



expected here, was splendid in England and Scotland, from 1 to 2 A. M. 

 of the 14th especially, and many till day-light. The next display may be 

 expected in 33 years, and on the 15th of November, at an earlier hour, 

 in western Asia. Some suppose the shower may be here next year, about 

 the last of the 13th or on the 14th. 



December. Its first week was unusually pleasant ; only once much 

 warmer than this, 39.4°, in Dec. 1852, 44.3°, in last sixteen years. On 

 the 7th the temperature of the canal was 39°; no ice on the 10th, but on 

 the 12th canal fast frozen. Navigation was to be closed this day by 

 authority, which the season effectually secured this day. In 1865 the 

 canal was closed by ice on the 15th. Quite severe weather on the 20th, 

 and on the 21st the temperature was 9° below at 7, and 10° below 7-| A. M. 

 The lowest in Dec. before, was 6° below in the last week of 1851 and 

 1859. This is the coldest in Dec. for the thirty years, as the 10° below in 

 the State Meteorology for Dec. 1848 is a mistake of only 20°. 



On the 27th, afternoon, from the west, began a severe and extensive 

 snow storm, with high wind, often a gale, sweeping the snow into great 

 drifts, from Oliio along our latitude and north into Canada-West, eastward 

 to Massachusetts and Boston. The wind continued over the 28th, with 

 much snow ; and the railroads were so blocked that cars from Albany did 

 not shove the passage open to that place till in the afternoon of the 29th. 

 East of Albany, the Central railroad was not open till a day later, and 

 hardly then did the cars make the regular trips in Massachusetts. A 

 severer storm has not been over this section, and eastward to the Atlantic, 

 for many years. The storm did not extend south to New-York, though 

 some snow fell on the 27th. with rain to carry it off on the 28th, and the 

 streets were dry on the 30th. The snow extended in this section only a 

 few miles to the south of Rochester. In the western part* of the State, 

 it was felt south to Pennsylvania. 



The productions of the earth have been plentiful, but not great crops: 

 only hay has been considerably below the average, and has been selling 

 here, in this month, from sixteen to twenty dollars a ton. The effort of 

 speculators has been successful in sustaining- high prices of many nroducts 

 of the farm; but prices have begun to decline. With great general health, 

 and an adequate supply of ai>Ticultural products and other industry, we 

 ought to praise the Lord with full and faithful hearts for 1866. 



C. DEWEY. 



