In the first part of June the cold is considerable at night, frequently attended with frosts, particularly at the changes of the moon, which sometimes injure the early flowering fruits; and it is not till after the summer solstice that the night air loses its chilliness. This is no doubt occasioned by the snow, which lies undissolved in the deep recesses of the forest, as well as by the waters of the numerous rivers, lakes, &c. all which are swoln at this season; and by the cold acquired by the earth during the winter, which requires the full effect of the sun's influence, till late in June, before it is sufficiently heated. As soon as the earth is so thoroughly warmed that the nights lose their chill, vegetation becomes surprisingly rapid. In a few days, plants that appeared yellow and stunted, assume a deep green, and show a vigorous growth; and in less than a week, should a shower intervene, the face of the country exhibits the most luxurious vegetation, sufficient to astonish those who have only been familiar with temperate climates.

September is a pleasant month: the air is serene and pure. The rivers and streams are usually lower this month than at any other period during the year, and the dry weather frequently continues till late in October. Snow falls sometimes early in November, and lays till late in April; but this does not always hold. The rivers and lakes freeze up about the middle of this month, some sooner and others later, according to their situation. It is not uncommon to have frost in all the months in the year except July: for, as was observed before, it seldom escapes at the changes of the moon in June, and it frequently happens at the full in August, particularly on small streams. If, however, it passes that period, it generally keeps off till late in September. A stranger would naturally conclude from this account, that the season was too short and frosty for crops to come to maturity; but this is not the case. Roots come to perfection and grain gets ripe in most years; wheat being oftener hurt by the rust than the frost. The springs are indeed backward; but vegetation is exceeding rapid, and the autumns are uncommonly fine. The changes of the weather are frequently very sudden. Often in the space of two hours, (in the seasons of fall and spring,) changing from the mild temperature of September to the rigor of winter. This is chiefly occasioned by the wind: for while it blows from any of the points from the S.W. to the N.E. the air is mild; but when it veers from the N.E. to the N.W. it becomes cold and clear; and as it frequently shifts very suddenly, the transition from heat to cold is equally short. Even in the sultry month of July, whenever the wind changes for a few hours to the N.W. the air becomes cool, elastic, and invigorating. This, as was before noticed, is occasioned by its passing over the immense continent to the northwestward, and Hudson's Bay to the northward. On the contrary, when the winds are from the southward and S.E. they are mild and relaxing, retaining a portion of the heat acquired in the torrid zone. The changes, however, are not always so violent. The weather often both in winter and summer, continues for weeks with little alteration in the temperature, and changes imperceptibly. The coldest weather generally felt in the country, is on or near the full moon in January; for it is not till after the cold has had some time to exert its full influence and chill the earth, that the full rigor of winter is experienced. The same is the case with the greatest heat in summer, being in July, after the sun has for some time exerted his full influence on the earth.—From observations made by several persons, it is well understood that a gradual change has been taking place in the climate on the American continent within a century past. The change in this Province since 1783, has been very great—the summers having abated much of their former heat, and the winters grown proportionately milder. Neither are there such excessive droughts in summer, as formerly; the seasons being cooler, with more rain; neither does the snow accumulate to such a depth on the earth. This may arise not so much from a less quantity falling, as from the frequent thaws which now take place in the winter season.

For several years prior to 1816, the seasons had been growing gradually cooler—less warmth being felt on a mean in each succeeding year till 1816, when the cold appeared to have arrived at its acme; for in that year it appeared to predominate: from whatever cause has not yet been ascertained. Some ascribed it to spots on the sun's disc; others supposed that large masses of ice had been detached from the shores of Greenland, and floated so near America as to occasion the uncommon chill of the air,—with other conjectures of a like nature, totally unsatisfactory. For spots have frequently been observed on the sun, and it would require an immense quantity of ice to produce any permanent effect.—Whatever might have been the cause, it is certain the genial warmth of the sun appeared nearly lost: for when shining in meridian splendour in the months of June and July, a cold rigorous air was felt. There was a fall of snow, which was general over the Province and extended to the United States, on the 7th June, to the depth of three or four inches in the northern parts of the country. This was followed by severe frosts in every month in that year. The crops were very light: fields of wheat were totally destroyed. Even the never failing potatoe was chilled and did not yield half a crop.

After this year the seasons began slowly to improve; but the shock given to agriculture, by the failure of several crops, brought great distress on the poor, and gave a check to the prosperity of the Province. So great was the distress of the country, that the Legislature applied £6,000 to be laid out in seed and provisions, and advanced to such as were in want on a credit. For a few years back the seasons have been favorable to agriculture; but the extremes of heat and cold in winter and summer are not so great, and the rains are more generally diffused through the year than formerly.

I have been thus particular in noticing the changes of the seasons, as I think it would be a great advantage to the Province if a correct register of the weather was kept, and the changes of the seasons particularly attended to, as it would furnish data to guide the farmer in his crops, by sowing more of the hardy grains, such as oats, barley, peas, &c. as the seasons, (judging by a comparison with former years) was likely to be warm or frosty; and not running so much on Indian corn, which always requires hot seasons. Had this been attended to in the cold seasons, less distress would have been felt in the country, as oats, barley, &c. generally did well, when the other crops failed.

As I observed before, several causes have been assigned for the difference between the climate of Europe and America, by persons who have investigated that subject. But the causes of the alteration that has taken place in the seasons in North America, remain yet a desideratum with the learned. Whether the alteration is occasioned by the precession of the equinoxes, or by the position of our globe with the other planets, (for changes no doubt are taking place in the great system of the universe, which, though slow, must produce powerful effects,) or from whatever cause it may be, the effects are visible, and cannot reasonably be wholly ascribed to the improvement of the country, or any alteration that has taken place in it.

New-Brunswick appears to be but little liable to the great convulsions of nature, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, &c. There has been but one shock of an earthquake experienced by the present inhabitants since they have settled the country. This shock happened on the 22d May, 1817, at 25 minutes past