176 
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SEASONS. 
I 
On the 7th— a day worthy of record— the sun rose beautiful among gorgeis 
clouds, the air was balmy, a gentle dew (a rare meteor throughout the spring) clotlid 
the herbage— all these, and the sweet song of the lark, gave earnest and assura e 
that winter influences had passed away, and given place to active spring. At not 
a soft and gentle rain — the first of the kind— commenced : it soon passed awj • 
but being followed up till the 13th by showers, by alternations of shade, and oc> 
sional gleams, the face of all nature underwent an entire transformation. The fn ,. 
trees became masses of garlands — grass, corn, flowers, in field and gardens, all rusli 
forth. Never was metamorphosis more complete ; lost time was redeemed, and, l\ 
the rain, gentle as it was, continued till the 25th, with a medium temperature, evl 
vegetable product would have been in advance. 
As a check, however, one of those singular transitions occurred, the causeif 
which our philosophy cannot even dream, much less fathom. The 23rd day pro\l 
oppressively hot and sultry, distant thunder was heard in the south-east, but no r|i 
followed. On the contrary, a glaring sun ruled by day till the end of the mont: 
the temperature rose, about noon, to 68°, 74°, and in some places to nearly 80°, at 
the nights were as warm as those of July, i. e. 58° to 66° and 70°, and this parchit 
arid state of weather continued till the 6th of June. 
“ A cold May,” is the old proverb; its reverse has ever been the prognostics 
disaster, and the experience of the present year has established the doctrine of ol 
forefathers ! The plants of the vegetable garden began immediately to suffe! 
blossoms were rendered barren, those of the strawberry were visibly affected, as 
May and June, 1846, the fertile organs becoming black, instead of enlarging. Apj: 
bloom was scorched, and thus the anticipated crop was negatived to a degree th 
reduced it far below an average. As to the flower-garden, every part lost its gra 
and beauty ; and that not only by the flagging of the plants, but by the sever 
species of Aphides , or green-fly, that took possession, each of its peculiar at 
favourite prey. Thus, any high degree of temperature — especially if accompanii 
by a powerful sunshine — prior to midsummer, may be considered as an agent 
sterility. 
There is one phenomenon of singular interest which ought to be noticed. T\| 
trees, the Oak and the Ash, are supposed by electricians to be in contrary states 
electricity ; or, in other words, if one is positive, the other will be in a negate 
condition. The terms are sufficiently dark and inconclusive ; they evince our re 
ignorance of causes ; but such as they are, we employ them. If then it be admitte 
that these trees are antagonist — the one attracting that which the other repels — it w| 
be philosophical to conclude that they may be taken as indices of the existin 
condition of the earth and atmosphere. Public attention has of late years beejl 
excited by the remarks published in newspapers concerning the prognostics of tbi 
coming summer, afforded by the earlier or late developments of these trees. If, it 
said, the Ash take the advance, the season will be rainy ; if, on the contrary, it b 
tardy, and the Oak take the lead, the summer will be warm and dry. 
