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in a few days the labour and hopes of years, to bestir himself 

 on such emergencies ; and, if his plantations are small, to avail 

 himself of mats, cloths, pease-haum, straw, reeds, or any such 

 covering, for a short time ; or, if his shrubberies are extensive, 

 to see that his people go about with prongs and forks, and care- 

 fully dislodge the snow from the boughs, since the naked foliage 

 will shift much better for itself, than where the snow is partly 

 melted and frozen again. 



It may perhaps appear at first like a paradox ; but doubtless 

 the more tender trees and shrubs should never be planted in hot 

 aspects ; not only for the reason assigned above, but also because, 

 thus circumstanced, they are disposed to shoot earher in the 

 spring, and grow on later in the autumn, than they would other- 

 wise do, and so are sufferers by lagging or early frosts. For this 

 reason also plants from Siberia will hardly endure our climate ; 

 because, on the very first advances of spring, they shoot away, 

 and so are cut off by the severe nights of March or April. 



Dr. Fothergill and others have experienced the same incon- 

 venience with respect to the more tender shrubs from North- 

 America ; which they therefore plant under north-walls. There 

 should also perhaps be a wall to the east to defend them from 

 the piercing blasts from that quarter. 



This observation might without any impropriety be carried 

 into animal life ; for discerning bee-masters now find that their 

 hives should not in the winter be exposed to the hot sun, because 

 such unseasonable warmth awakens the inhabitants too early 

 from their slumbers ; and, by putting their juices into motion 

 too soon, subjects them afterwards to inconveniences when 

 rigorous weather returns. 



The coincidents attending this short but intense frost were, 

 that the horses fell sick with an epidemic distemper, which 

 injured the winds of many, and killed some ; that colds and 

 coughs were general among the human species ; that it froze 

 under people's beds for several nights ; that meat was so hard 

 frozen that it could not be spitted, and could not be secured 

 but in cellars ; that several redwings and thrushes were killed 

 by the frost ; and that the large titmouse continued to pull 

 straws lengthwise from the eaves of thatched houses and barns 

 in a most adroit manner, for a purpose that has been explained 

 already. 1 



1 See Letter XLI. to Mr. Pennant. 



