Art. VII. Floral Calendar kept at Deerfield, Massachusetts, with Miscellaneous Remarks.
Art. VII. Floral Calendar kept at Deerfield, Massachusetts, with Miscellaneous Remarks, by Dr. Stephen W. Williams, of Deerfield.
To Professor Silliman.
Sir,
Any thing which has a tendency to elicit facts with regard to the climate of a country must be interesting. I believe that observations upon the time of the germination, foliation, florification, and fructification of plants, afford a much more correct criterion respecting climate than thermometrical, or other meteorological journals. They should be made at the same time in various parts of the country, and for several years in succession. I send you a Calendarium Floræ, with miscellaneous remarks, made in Deerfield, Massachusetts, during a part of the years 1811, 1812, and 1818, which, if you please, you may insert in your valuable Journal. Latitude of Deerfield, 42° 32′ 32″, longitude 72° 41′.
1811.
March 1. Blackbirds arrived.
15. Black ducks arrived. Bees out of the hive.
20. Early garden peas, lettuce, and peppergrass sown.
28. The woods were swarming with pigeons. Wild geese passed over.
The greater part of the month of March was warm and pleasant. The sugar-maple yielded its sap profusely for a few days, but the nights were so warm that much less than the usual quantity of sugar was made this year.
April 1. Frogs begin to sing. Peas and oats sown.
8. Buds of the lilac, (Syringa vulgaris) the small red rose, the elm, (Ulmus Americana) the apple, and the peas considerably swoln.
14. Dandelion (Leontodon taraxicum) in full flower.
20. Indian corn planted; a few garden seeds sown. Martins and bank swallows arrived. Leaves of the currant and gooseberry expanded. Weather for a few days past sultry and smoky.
21. Blue violet (Viola cucullata) in full flower. Shad-bush (Aronia Botryapium) in blossom. Flower-buds of the lilac swoln; likewise the flower-buds of the cherry, pear, and apple.
23. Blood-root (Sanguinaria Canadensis) in full flower.
25. Asparagus fit for the table.
26. Chili strawberries in flower; this plant begins to blossom early, and continues to flower late in the season. English cherry, black heart (Prunus cerasus) in full flower.
27. Garden violet (V. tricolor) in full flower.
April 29. Flower-buds of the peach expanded. Large white plum (Prunus domestica) in full flower. Winter pear (Pyrus communis) in flower.
May 1. Red and white currants in flower.
2. Leaves of the Lombardy poplar (Populus dilatata) expanded.
3. English and field strawberries in blossom.
4. Butternut (Juglans cinerea) in blossom.
6. House flies arrived.
7. Apple-trees in full flower.
8. Lilac in full flower. Red-headed woodpecker arrived.
15. Rye (Secale cereale) beginning to head. Pleasant days and cold nights. Hard frosts for a few nights past.
18. Honeysuckle (Azalea nudiflora) in full flower.
19. Small red rose in flower. Choke cherry (Prunus Serotina) in full flower.
25. Common red clover (Trifolium pratense) in full flower.
26. Garden peas in full flower. Hummingbird arrived.
27. Night-hawks arrived.
30. Sugar-maple in flower.
June 2. Locust-tree (Robinia pseudacacia) in flower.
3. Field strawberries beginning to ripen. Piony in flower.
4. High blackberry (Rubus villosus) in full flower. Broad-leafed laurel (Kalmia latifolia) beginning to blossom.
7. Snow-ball, guelder-rose (Viburnum opulus) in full flower. Radishes fit for the table.
12. Our farmers begin to mow their first crop of grass in low land. Large white rose (Rosa alba) in full flower.
21. Red currants beginning to ripen in plenty. Blackberried elder (Sambucus canadensis) beginning to blossom.
27. Indian corn tasseling. Black raspberries beginning to ripen. Nodding lily (Lilium canadense) in flower.
29. Potato (Solanum tuberosum) in full flower.
July 1. Red raspberry (Rubus strigosus) beginning to ripen. Poppy (Papaver somniferum) in flower.
July 5. Chestnut-tree (Castanea Americana) flowering.
6. Large red cherry (Prun. ceras.) fully ripe. String beans fit for the table.
Perhaps we never experienced a greater degree of heat in this part of the country than has been felt for three days past. A number of hives of honey have melted during the heat.
14. Cucumbers fit for the table.
15. Rye fit for the sickle.
16. Black whortleberries (Vaccinium resinosum) ripening.
19. Early potatoes fit for the table. Indian corn (green) fit for the table.
20. Jenneting apples ripe.
21. Choke cherries (Prun. serotina) ripe.
26. Gooseberries ripening.
August 1. Martins departed.
5. Barn and bank swallows collecting in millions, upon our islands in the river, to depart.
12. Blackberries ripe.
20. Thorn apple (Datura stramonium) in full flower. Elderberries fully ripe.
September 1. Common pear fully ripe. Rare-ripe peaches fully ripe.
6. Bergamot pears fully ripe.
17. Great grapes (Vitis æstivalis) fully ripe. Frost grapes (Vitis cordifolia) ripening.
21. Butternuts beginning to fall from the tree.
24. Our farmers busily engaged in harvesting their corn.
26. Butternut defoliating.
28. Elm beginning to defoliate.
October 2. Chestnut burrs opening. Tree defoliating.
8. Sugar-maple and sycamore defoliating.
26. Blackbirds arrived again. Squirrels in plenty in our woods, though chestnuts and walnuts are scarce. Butternuts plenty. Cider and apples in great abundance.
November 20. Wild geese returning to the southern regions.
1812.
March 21. Blackbirds, woodpeckers, and robins arrived. Wild geese passed over.
23. Bees out of the hive.
April 3. Black ducks arrived. Large flocks of pigeons passed over.
9. Flower-buds of the elm considerably swoln.
11. Skylarks arrived.
12. Frogs begin to sing.
13. Leaf-buds of the soft maple (Acer rubrum) much swoln.
13. Leaf-buds of the gooseberry much swoln.
16. Early garden peas sown.
19. Dandelion (Leon. tarax.) in full flower. Blue or meadow violet (V. cucullata) in flower. Leaves of the lilac beginning to expand. Our farmers busily engaged in ploughing for sowing.
23. Peas and oats sown, and Indian corn planted.
25. Swallows arrived, and whippoorwills begin to sing.
27. Leaves of the gooseberry, and willow (Salix Muhlenbergii) beginning to expand.
May 5. Martins arrived.
10. Asparagus fit for the table. Blood-root (Sang. canadensis) in full flower.
11. Chili garden strawberries beginning to blossom. Flower-buds of the lilac swoln.
12. Elm in full flower. Leaves of the meadow violet beginning to expand.
13. Garden violet (V. tricolor) in flower.
14. Field strawberries in full flower. Shad-bush (Aronia botryapium) in blossom.
15. English cherry beginning to flower.
19. Winter pear beginning to blossom.
22. Hummingbirds arrived. Large white plum (Prunus domestica) in full flower. Butternut beginning to flower.
23. Flower-buds of the peach (Amydalus persica) beginning to expand. Gooseberry in flower.
May 27. Apple-trees beginning to blossom.
29. Early garden lettuce (Lactuca sativa) fit for the table.
30. Apple-trees in full flower.
31. Night-hawks arrived.
Vegetation has put forth more to appearance in three days past than in all the spring before. Nature seems to revive from a state of torpidity, from the warm and invigorating rays of the sun. The month of May has been more backward than the month of April, 1811. The observation of elderly people, that the month of April, old style, was never known to terminate without producing apple-blossoms, has by no means been verified this year, they being now (June 1st.) in full flower. The snow upon the mountains, thirty or forty miles back, is at a great depth; so deep, that on the warm day of the 29th our river rose a foot from its melting. Diseases of the chronic kind have been peculiarly severe for three months past. The gladsome return of the cheering warmth will probably renovate the enfeebled constitutions of many of our aged people.
June 1. House flies arrived.
5. Choke cherry (Prun. serotin.) in full flower. Honeysuckle apple (Azalea nudiflora) in full flower.
8. Piony in full flower. Snowball (Viburnum opulus) in full flower. Flower-de-luce (Iris versicolor) in blossom.
11. Early peas in blossom. Carraway (Carum carui) in flower.
15. Locust-tree (Robin. pseudacac.) in full flower. Field strawberries beginning to ripen.
18. Common red clover in full flower. Cranesbill (Geranium maculatum) in blossom. Red raspberry in full flower.
23. Chili strawberries beginning to ripen. Garden sage (Salvia officinalis) in full flower.
29. Our farmers busily engaged in haying.
30. Large red rose, large white rose, and damask rose (Rosa damascena) in flower.
July 1. White pond lily (Nymphæa odorata) in flower.
4. Black elder (Sambucus canadensis) in full flower.
7. Early peas fit for the table. Red and white currants ripening.
8. Nodding lily (Lilium canadense) in flower.
11. Garden beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) in full flower. Chestnut in flower. Black raspberries ripening.
20. Early corn tasseled (Zea mays. Variety præcox.) Red raspberries fully ripe.
22. Whortleberries ripe (Vaccin. resinos.)
24. Cucumbers fit for the table.
28. Early potatoes fit for the table.
29. Rye fit for the sickle. Early garden squashes (Cucurbita Melo-pepo) fit for the table.
August 2. Jenneting apples ripening.
5. Early corn fit for the table.
8. Wheat (Triticum hyburnum) fit for the sickle.
28. Summer peas ripening.
September 4. Watermelons and muskmelons ripe.
5. Swallows departed.
6. Elderberries fully ripe.
11. Choke cherries and wild cherries (Prunus virginiana) ripe.
12. Yellow plum (Prunus chicasa) fully ripe.
15. Butternut beginning to fall from the tree.
16. Our farmers making their first cider.
22. Great grapes ripe.
October 2. Butternut and elm beginning to defoliate. Chestnut-burrs beginning to open.
9. Our farmers beginning to harvest their Indian corn.
1818.
March 11. Bluebirds arrived.
13. Woodpeckers, robins, and blackbirds arrived. Bees out of the hive.
March 14. Broad-leaved panic grass (Panicum latifolium) beginning to sprout on a southern exposure, while there is sleighing in the street. A solitary spathe of skunk-cabbage (Pothos fœtida) beginning to show itself on the same exposure. Leaves of curled dock (Rumex crispa) appeared in the same place. Maple-trees tapped for sugar.
16. Pothos fœtida in full flower.
25. Black ducks arrived. Catkins of the poplar-tree (Populus tremuloides) expanded. Catkins of the speckled willow (Salix Muhlenbergiana) expanded.
30. Wild geese arrived. Phœbe arrived.
It began to rain hard on the first of March, and continued raining two days and a half, which nearly carried off an immense body of snow which enveloped the ground. Our rivers, which were more firmly locked with ice than they had been before known for many years to be, rose above their usual bounds, and swept the ice with such rapidity down their channels as to destroy most of the bridges on Connecticut river, besides doing immense damage in other respects. Our meadows were nearly all under ice and water; and at that time a great explosion was heard in the north meadows, two miles from the street, similar to the noise of a cannon. It was occasioned by the throwing up of an immense quantity of frozen ground, which is a great curiosity. The cause is not yet satisfactorily explained. The weather was very warm and pleasant from the 4th to the 22d. What snow the rain did not carry off was melted by the sun during the pleasant weather. Vegetation had begun to put forth rapidly, and many of our birds of passage had arrived. A storm, which commenced on the 22d, as rapidly retarded the progress of vegetation as it was before accelerated, and the remainder of the month was gloomy and uncomfortable. Mud mid-leg deep in the streets.
April 7. Flower-buds of the elm (Ulmus americana) beginning to swell.
April 8. Leaf-buds of the lilac (Syring. vulg.) beginning to swell.
10. Leaf-buds of the soft or meadow maple (Acer rubrum) beginning to swell. Black alder (Alnus serrulata) in flower. American hazel (Corylus americana) in flower, and its catkins appearing.
11. Fair and pleasant, after a long storm. It has rained sixteen days in succession. Frogs begin to sing. Leaf-buds of the English cherry (Prunus cerasus) black heart beginning to swell. Garden peas sown.
12. Flies in myriads arrived in our streets. Catkins of the butternut (Juglans cinerea) beginning to swell. Saxifrage (Saxifraga virginiensis) in flower.
13. Skylarks arrived.
14. Sweet fern (Comptonia asplenifolia) in flower. White birch (Betula populifolia) in flower.
16. Our farmers beginning to plough for spring wheat.
18. Bank swallows arrived.
19. Leaf-buds of the currant, the gooseberry, and the apple, considerably swoln.
20. Dandelion (Leon. tarax.) beginning to flower. Viola cucullata beginning to blossom.
22. Our farmers ploughing for peas and oats. The snow upon the hills 20 miles north and west from Deerfield is two feet and a half deep, and the winds from those quarters are so chilly as to retard the progress of vegetation. Icicles scarcely melted upon the south side of buildings in Halifax, Vermont; and it is too cold for making sugar.
25. Blood-root (Sanguinaria canadensis) in flower on a warm south side hill. Leaves of the English gooseberry beginning to expand. Venus's pride (Houstonia cœrulea) in flower. Early life-everlasting, (Gnaphalium plantagineum) crowfoot, (Ranunculus fascicularis) tooth-root, (Dentaria laciniata) and meadow-rue (Thalictrum cornutum) in full flower.
26. Trailing arbutus (Epigaea repens) in full flower. Leaves of the barberry (Berberis vulgaris) beginning to expand. Five-finger, (Potentilla pumilla) adder's-tongue, (Erythronium dens-canis) liver-leaf, (Hepatica triloba) and wind-flower, (Anemone nemorosa) in flower.
April 27. Early potatoes and early corn planted. Elm in full flower.
29. Water crowfoot (Ranunculus sceleratus) and American cowslip (Caltha palustris) in full flower.
30. Daffodil (Narcissus pseudo-narcissus) and rue-anemone (Anemone thalictroides) in flower.
May 1. Soft maple (Acer rubrum) in flower.
2. Martins arrived.
3. Leaves of the gooseberry beginning to expand.
4. Leaves of the currant and lilac beginning to expand. Pigeons arrived.
5. Wood bulrush (Juncus sylvaticus) in flower. A great freshet in our meadows, from the melting of the snow upon the mountains, and from the great rain which has continued nearly a month. Beth. nodding trillion (Trillium rhomboideum) in flower.
7. Flowers of the garden violet (V. tricolor) beginning to expand.
8. The young heads of asparagus breaking the ground.
9. Our farmers busily engaged in planting their Indian corn, though the weather is excessively cold. Sowed onions, parsnips, &c.
10. Bobylincolns (Bob of lincolns) arrived. Flower-buds of the lilac appearing.
11. Field strawberries (Fragaria virginiana) in full flower. Colts-foot (Tussilago farfara) in flower.
12. Whip-poor-wills begin to sing.
13. Spice-bush (Laurus benzoin) in full flower. A freshet in the meadows.
14. Goldthread (Coptis trifolia) in full flower.
15. Rattlesnake violet (Viola primulifolia) in full flower.
16. Chimney swallows arrived.
17. Leaves of the apple-tree expanding. Sugar maple (Acer saccharinum) in full flower. Garden daisy (Bellis perennis) in full flower.
May 18. Asparagus fit for the table.
19. Smooth gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa) in flower.
20. Shad-bush (Aron. botryap.) in flower.
21. House wrens arrived. Moose-wood (Dirca palustris) in flower.
22. Garden currant (Ribes rubrum) beginning to flower.
24. Wake-robin (Trillium cernuum) and peas (Pyrus communis) in flower.
25. Our mountain scenery diversified. Weather very warm. Garden potatoes and garden corn, planted on the 27th April, breaking the ground. Garden beans, cucumbers, squashes, watermelons, &c. planted.
26. Damson plum (Prunus domestica) and yellow or wild plum (Prunus chicasa) in flower. Elder (Sambucus canadensis) in flower. Carolina chatterer arrived.
27. Garden gooseberry (Ribes grossularia) and avens (Geum rivale) in blossom. Weather intensely warm. Thermometer at 86° at 2 o'clock, P. M. yesterday.
29. Apple-trees in full flower. Night-hawk arrived.
30. Choke cherries (Prun. Serotin.) in flower.
31. Lilac in full flower.
The weather till the last week in May was very cold and rainy. Perhaps we have never known more gloomy weather than that of the first twenty days of the month. The last week in the month of May was unusually warm and fine. Vegetation has put forth more within this week than it has in all the season before. The blossoms on apple-trees are scanty, and there is but little prospect of fruit. Peach-trees in the vicinity of this place were all killed by the extreme cold winter.
June 1. Hummingbirds arrived.
2. Honeysuckle apple (Azalea nudiflora) in full flower.
3. Blue-eyed grass, (Sisyrinchium anceps) Krigia virginica, and thorn-bush (Cratægus coccinea) in flower. Garden seeds, planted on the 25th ult. have vegetated 3 or 4 inches high. Garden rhubarb (Rheum tataricum) in flower.
June 4. Garden rocket (Hesperis pinnatifida) in flower.
6. Yellow water lily (Nuphar advena) in full flower. Flower-de-luce (Iris virginica) in flower. Garden peas in full flower.
The weather for twelve days past has been unusually warm and sultry. The thermometer, much of the time in the middle of the day, has stood at 84°, and vegetation has put forth with astonishing rapidity.
8. House-flies arrived.
9. Horse-radish (Cochlearea armoracea) and peony in full flower.
10. Chives (Allium schænoprasum) in full flower.
11. Smooth stem lichnidea (Phlox maculata) in full flower. Our farmers busily engaged in hoeing their corn.
12. Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis) in full flower.
13. Field strawberries beginning to ripen.
14. Locust-tree (Robinia pseudacacia) in full flower.
15. Locusts appearing in the south part of the town. The last time of their appearance here was in the year 1801. Their periodical returns are once in seventeen years. Their appearance in the years 1733, 1750, 1767, 1784, and 1801, is recorded on the town-book. They first attack the leaves of the black oak (Quercus nigra.)
16. Small red rose in flower.
17. Rosa caroliniensis in full flower.
18. Garden sage (Salvia officinalis) in flower.
19. Mock syringa (Philadelphus coronarius) in flower.
20. Tulip-tree, commonly called cypress or white-wood (Liriodendron tulipifera) in blossom.
21. Carnation pink (Dianthus caryophyllus) in flower.
22. Our farmers commenced haying. An immense crop of grass on the ground.
23. Side-saddle flower (Sarracenia purpurea) in flower.
24. Common St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) in full flower.
June 26. Garden radishes fit for the table.
27. Early garden peas fit for the table. Weather intensely warm.
28. American lime or linden-tree (Tilia americana) in flower.
30. Flax (Linum usitatissimum) in full flower. Thermometer in the shade at 2 P. M. 100°.
Vegetation has put forth and increased with a more astonishing rapidity this month than has ever been known. Notwithstanding the spring was very backward, the season now is forward. Our farmers commenced their first haying about a week earlier than they did last year.
July 1. White water lily (Nymphæa odorata) in flower.
3. Red and white currants ripening. Yellow day lily (Hemerocallis flava) and Lilium canadense in full flower.
4. Cucumbers and watermelons in flower. Early summer corn (Zea mays, variety præcox) beginning to tassel. Garden rue (Ruta graveoleus), mustard (Sinapis nigra), motherwort (Leonorus cardiaca) and mullein (Verbascum thapsus) in full flower. Blue whortleberries (Vaccinium frondosum) beginning to ripen. Dewberry (Rubus trivialis) ripening.
5. Poppy (Papaver somniferum) in flower.
6. Garden squashes (Cucurbita Melo-pepo) in flower.
7. Red raspberry fully ripe.
10. Black raspberry fully ripe.
11. String-beans fit for the table.
12. Unicorn plant (Martinia proboscidea) in full flower.
13. Thorn apple (Datura stramonium) and marygold (Tagetes erecta) in full flower.
15. Great water plantain (Alisma plantago) and field clover (Trifolium arvense) in flower.
17. Mad dog weed (Scutellaria lateriflora) and purple vervain (Verbena hastata) in blossom.
The weather for three weeks past has been excessively warm. The thermometer, for several days, has stood above 95°, part of the time at 98°. Our lands are now parching with drought. Our grass fields are completely embrowned. Our farmers beginning to reap their rye.
July 19. Cucumbers fit for the table. Early corn (green) fit for the table.
21. Mother of thyme (Thymus vulgaris) in full flower.
22. Fig-wort (Scrophularia marylandica) and loosestrife (Lysimachia stricta) in flower.
24. Morning-glory (Convolvulus sepium) and Orchis ciliaris in full flower.
26. Whortleberries (Vaccinium resinosum) ripe. Single-seeded cucumber (Sicyos angulata) in flower.
28. Garden lettuce and hop (Humulus lupulus) in full flower.
30. Our farmers reaping their wheat—a tolerable crop. Buckwheat (Polygonum fagopyrum) in flower.
We had a great rain about the 20th, which restored the parched vegetation. The latter part of the month was, however, warm and dry.
August 1. Grasshoppers begin to sing. Crickets arrived.
2. Larkspur (Delphinium consolida) in flower.
3. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and pigweed (Chenopodium album) in flower.
6. Broom-corn (Sorghum saccharatum) and lavender (Lavendula spica) in flower.
7. Early jenneting apples ripe. Ambrosia trifida and American senna (Cassia marylandica) in flower.
11. Muskmelon ripe. Garden squashes and shelled beans fit for the table.
13. Seed-box (Ludwigia alternifolia) in flower. Garden gooseberries fully ripe.
14. Our farmers gathering their peas and oats—an indifferent crop. Weather warm and dry.
16. Martins departing. Bush clover (Lespedeza capitata) in flower.
18. Our farmers beginning to mow their second crop of hay. Jerusalem oak (Chenopodium botrys) in flower.
20. Houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum) in flower.
21. Herb clarry (Salvia sclarea) in blossom.
22. Swallows collecting in thousands to depart. Toothed coral (Cymbidium odontorhizom) in flower. Saw bats for the first time this year.
24. Lopseed (Phryma leptostachia) and ladies' traces (Neottia pubescens) in flower.
27. Gay mallows (Lavatera thuringiaca) and Solanum nigra in full flower.
30. Burnet saxifrage (Sanguisorba canadensis) and water horehound (Lycopus europæus) in full flower.
STEPHEN W. WILLIAMS.
Deerfield, (Mass.) Jan. 25, 1819.