northern transit, not unfrequently in April
and May; but they do not occur so near the acme of the northern transit on
its return; nor until it approaches very near its southern limit. The
quiet, warm, and genial air of April, is reproduced in the Indian summer
of autumn, but they present widely different appearances. Those, and many
other peculiarities of the seasons, deserve the attentive consideration of
every one who would become familiar with the weather and its prognostics.

These irregularities in the character of the seasons have doubtless always
existed, and always been the objects of popular observation. There are
some very old proverbs which show this. I copy a few of the many, which
may be found in Foster's collection. Mr. Graham Hutchison does not seem to
think any of those ancient proverbs worthy of notice. But he misjudges.
They are the result of popular observation, and many of them accord with
the true philosophy of the weather.

_Irregular_ seasons are unhealthy, and unreliable for productiveness. When
the southern transit was late, or limited, and the autumn ran into winter,
our ancestors feared the consequences in both particulars, and expressed
their fears, and hopes also, in proverbs. Thus,

"A green winter
Makes a fat churchyard."

There is very great truth in this proverb. Again,

"If the grass grows green in Janiveer,
It will grow the worse for it all the year."

This is emphatically true, for the season which commences irregularly will
be likely to continue to be irregular in other respects.

Another of the same tenor:

"If Janiveer Calends be summerly gay,
It will be winterly weather till Calends of May."

Janiveer is an alteration of the French name for January, and the proverb
is very old.

So March should be normally dry and windy.

This, too, they understood, and hence the strong proverb:

"A bushel of March _dust_
Is worth a king's ransom."

And another:

"March hack ham,
Come in like a lion, go out like a lamb."

So April and May should be cool and moist. It is their normal condition in
regular, healthy, and productive seasons. The grass and grain require such
conditions; and the spring rains are needed to supply the excessive summer
evaporation. This, too, they well understood. And hence the proverbs:

"A cold April the barn will fill."

"A cool May, and a windy,
Makes a full barn and a findy."

And--

"April and May are