85 
Review, July 8, 1880, that he does not fed implicit confidence in 
Dr. Fitch’s theory, but he adds the very significant clause— 1 “It is 
worthy of note, however, that in most instances the localities infested 
by the worm this year are in the vicinity of extensive tracts of loiv 
lands.” J 
As to the last point, we are inclined to hold, as we always have 
done, the same view that he expressed in 1870, because the facts 
sustain it. 
The year 1854 was wet in Ohio, as the testimony of Mr. Kirk¬ 
patrick shows. Schott’s Rain Tables not only confirm this, but show 
it was a wet year in all the Northwest. 
That the spring of 1861 was not only wet but cool in Illinois and 
the Northwest is seen by reference to the “Record of the Seasons” 
in the Prairie Farmer of April and May, 1861, shown by the fol¬ 
lowing extracts: 
Douglas Co. Ills., April 1. “On the 25th and 26th ult. we had 
the heaviest rain I ever witnessed, and the most water fell. Yester¬ 
day (March 31st) it rained very hard. It seems to be a gloomy 
prospect for farmers. Low, heavy clouds roll over, and everything 
seems to indicate a backward spring.” 
Correspondents at Andover, at Kendall Co., and at Fair Haven, 
Ills., of same date speak of rains. 
('Lee Co., Ills., April 6. The weather here to-day is cold and 
rainy. It has been so more or less during the week.” 
“Kankakee Co., April 1. The land is flooded with water. April 
6. Since writing the foregoing it has rained most of the time.” 
“DeWitt Co., Ills., April 8. Very wet.” 
“Ottawa, Iowa, April 6. Raining at the present writing.” 
“Carroll Co., Ills., April 11. We have had rainy weather with 
sunshiny intervals for two weeks past.” 
“Pana, Ills., April 4. Rained here every day for a coon’s age; 
to-day is chilly, but it has not rained yet.” 
And this goes on until the close of April. The following records 
of annual rain-fall in the East also ~ correspond with what is well 
known to have been the fact in the West: 
Burlington, Vt., avg .. 
Boston, Mass. “ .. 
Providence, R. I. “ 
Pen Yan, N. Y. “ .. 
Marietta, Ohio “ .. 
34.15 inches, 1861.. 
44.99 “ 1861.. 
.41.54 “ 1861.. 
.28.42 “ 1861.. 
43.70 “ 1861.. 
..42.56 inches 
..50.07 
.. 44.25 
.. 32.74 
. .46.41 
u 
In the W est the chief rain-fall of this year was in the spring, 
many of the stations, taking the whole year, not rising above the 
average. To the fact that the spring of 1869 and 1875 was wet, 
Prof. Riley bears testimony in the extracts already quoted. 
But it is a somewhat singular confirmation of Dr. Fitch’s theory 
that at New Bedford, the only monthly record we have, the rain¬ 
fall in June, 1817, was more than double the average (Blodget’s 
Climatology, 58 and 81.) ^ - 
The year 1816 was dry, but was unusually cold, being equalled 
(during the first half of the century) only by 1812. 
The facts, therefore, so far as they can be ascertained, are largely 
in favor of Dr. Fitch’s theory. 
