Osier Willow. 17 
of April. Emberiza oryzivora (bobolinks), in 1845, '46, and '47, 
I observed upon the 10th, 7th, and 3d of May, respectively. 
The mean temperature of the three vernal months of the past 
year was 43° 79', while the mean temperature of the correspond- 
ing season in 1846 was 47° 56', and that of 1845 was 49° 33'. 
The past spring exhibited but a small amount of rain, and yielded, 
in the pluviometer (rain gage), 3.93 inches of measurement. In 
1845 the last frost of spring occurred on the 30th of April, and in 
1846 upon the 22d of April, and none during the summer months; 
in 1847 a frost occurred as late as the 3d of June. The wheat har- 
vest commenced in 1845 on the 14th of July, in 1846 on the 9th of 
July, and in 1847 on the 15th of July. The last summer month 
was distinguished for a severe drouth, and exhibited but .83 of 
an inch of rain; from the 26th of July to the 17th of August but 
.26 of an inch of rain fell, and from that time to September 5th 
but .57 of an inch fell. The want of rain under the high temper- 
ature of that interval was of course severely felt by vegetation.. 
For the two years last past the electric explosions of the at- 
mosphere have been comparatively slight, and we have had none 
of any violence during that period. 
OSIER WILLOW — ITS VARIETIES. 
BY WM. R. PRINCE. 
Having perused the article in your Journal from the pen of 
Mr. C. N. Bement, on the culture of the Osier, I have derived 
much pleasure from the fact that some one, even at this late day, 
was urging public attention to this important subject. As far 
back as I can remember, my father, the late William Prince, 
warmly urged the extensive culture of this useful tree, or rather 
group of trees; and in the Short Treatise on Horticulture, written 
by myself, under his supervision, in 1828, the best species of the 
Osier were described, and the facility of their culture commented 
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