126 REPORT OX THE STATE CABINET. 



Least height of barometer, 1859, March 19th, 28.24; greatest height 

 of barometer, 1839, January 1, 30.17 inches. The first of these gave the 

 lowest mean, 28.63, and the second the highest, 30.38, in the twenty- 

 eight years. October 19th, 1865, barometer 28.55; but the highest that 

 year, 30.12. 



The rain-guage has given 34.08 inches of water in the year, which 

 exceeds the general average, 32.525 inches, by 1.56 inch. 



The drouth attending the small rains of July and August, which 

 amounted to only 2.51 inches in two months, was closed by rain on Sep- 

 tember 5th. The grass had been injured, the pastures dried, and the early 

 crops of potatoes and peas were almost destroyed, while Indian corn 

 had made adequate progress in the hot weather. But the copious rain 

 changed the face of nature. Grass at once sprung up with the greatest 

 rapidity, and the fall crops were far larger than had been anticipated. 

 Peaches were more plenty, pears and quinces also ; and apples, which 

 were too small to be promising in the first week of September, became 

 abundant, so that thousands of barrels were sent to northern and eastern 

 markets, and especially to the city of New York. The yield of Indian 

 corn was an average one. 



The vear has been relatively healthful ; and the general prosperity of 

 the people, in their great and leading pursuits and business, demands 

 gratitude and praise. 



The Seventeen-year Harvest Fly. 



We have two species of the Harvest Fly over our coimtiy, commonly 

 called Locusts, but improperly, for obvious reasons. The Locust has a 

 mouth and jaws for eating leaves ; but the Harvest Fly (Cicada) has only 

 a short tube, or sucker, for obtaining its food. One species of these 

 appears annually over the Northern States in the last part of July, and 

 continues for a few weeks, but it is always in very limited nmnbers ; and 

 this is called the Dog-Day Harvest Fly, or Cicada ca^iculaeis of Dr. 

 H-4JiRis. Another species appears once in seventeen years, in the same 

 localities in a given tract, in vast numbers, and is hence named Cicada 

 SEPTES-DEcm by LrsxjEUS. The buzzing, drum-like noise of the males fills 

 the air, to the annoyance of the people within a half mile. In about 

 fom' weeks the eggs are laid in the younger twigs of the oak, if present, 

 and if not, on other trees, the apple, etc. The localities in this part of 

 the State are in several counties, often only a few miles apart ; as in 



