298
A circumftance that I muft not omit, becaufe it was new to us,
is, that on Friday, December the 10th, being bright fun-fhine, the
air was full of icy fpiculte, floating in all direftions, like atoms, in
a fun-beam let into a dark room. We thought them at firft
particles of the rime falling from my tall hedges; but were foon
convinced to the contrary, by making our obfervations in open
places where no rime could reach us. Were they watery particles
of the air frozen as they floated; or were they evaporations from
the fnow frozen as they mounted ?
We were much obliged to the thermometers for the early information
they gave u s ; and hurried our apples, pears, onions,
potatoes, &c. into the cellar, and warm clofets; while thofe who
had not, or negledted fuch warnings, loft all their ftore of roots
and fruits, and had their very bread and cheefe frozen.
I muft not omit to tell you that, during thofe two Siberian days,
my parlour-cat was fo ele&ric, that had a perfon ftroked her, and
been properly infulated, the (hock might have been given to a
whole circle of people.
I forgot to mention before, that, during the two fevere days,
two men, who were tracing hares in the fnow, had their feet frozen ;
and two men, who were much better employed, had their fingers
fo affedted by the froft, while they were thrafhing in a barn, that a
mortification followed, from which they did not recover for many
weeks.
This froft killed all the furze and moft of the ivy, and in many
places {tripped the hollies of all their leaves. It came at a very
early time o f the year, before old 'November ended';, and vet may
be allowed from it’s effects to have 'exceeded any fince 1739 -40.
L E T T E R LXIII.
.TO THE SAME.
A s the effects of heat are feldom very remarkable in the northerly
climate of England, where the fummers are often fo defedtive in
warmth and fun-lhihe as not to ripen the fruits of the earth fo well
as might be wifhed, I fhall be more concife in my account of the
feverity of a fummer feafon, and fo make a little amends for the
prolix account of the degrees of cold, and the inconveniences that
we fuffered from fome late rigorous winters.
The fummers of 1781 and 1783 were unufually hot and dry;
to them therefore I fhall turn back in my journals, without recurring
to any more diftant period. In the former of thefe years
my peach and neftarine-trees fuffered fo much from the heat that
the rind on the bodies was fcalded and came off; fince which the
trees have been in a decaying ftate. This may prove a hint to
affiduous gardeners to fence and fhelter their wall-trees with mats
or boards, as they may eafily do, becaufe fuch annoyance is feldom
■ of long continuance. During that fummer alfo, I obferved that my
apples were coddled, as it were, on the trees; fo that they had no
quicknefs of flavour., and would not keep in the winter; This
circumftance put me in mind of what I have heard travellers affeit,.
that they never ate a good apple or apricot in the fouth of Europe,
Q q 2 where