The new year opened with fine sleighing, a cool healthful air, and smiling, but not a very warm sunshine. The southern sky looked soft and agreeable enough for September, in the early part of the day, but before night, the north wind arose, and the loose snow was hurried in wild confusion into drifts. The morning of the 2d, was cool, and as some would say, the air was fine and bracing through the day - 5th, mercury at sunrise, only 2° above 0, and did not rise higher than 10° through the day - 6th, 22° at sunrise, and reached 40° in the afternoon. On the morning of the 8th only 2° above 0, but moderates fast and continues very fine for ten days, the mercury frequently being above freezing at sunrise. On the morning of the 19th, it stood 4° below 0, and rose only to 18° above through the day; after which it continues mild and agreeable. The 23d was a fine smoky day, and the snow wasted under the influence of the sun. The morning of the 24th was noted for a remarkable white frost, which curiously ornamented the spires of grass and branches of trees, especially on lowlands, beside streams, where the feathery chrystals hung in rich and varied beauty, and gave under the influence of the sun a fairy appearance to the desolations of winter.

But the illusion soon melted off, and we found winter yet reigning in its every day costume. Warm weather followed this frost, and in the four following days, the sleighing was nearly used up by sunshine. The morning of the 29th was ushered in by a rain storm with the mercury at 38° and the wind blowing fresh from the south-west. Wind changes to northwest at 8 1/2 o'clock A. M., and a furious snow-squal follows, continuing until nearly noon. The weather grows blustering through the day. The 80th will long be remembered as a cold, blustering day, made still more unpleasant by the sudden change of temperature. At sunrise the mercury was 8° below 0 - at 9 A. M. 6° below - at 8 P. M. 2O below at 9 P. M. 9° below, exposed to the full force of the wind. On the morning of the 31st it was 9° below 0 - at 9 A. M., at 4 below - at 3 P. M. 4° above 0. It is a very unusual circumstance, and one which I do not recollect to have witnessed before, to experience a temperature below 0 through the day, but here it actually continued for at least 36 hours.

The storms of the month have been few and comparatively light. On the 4th, snow fell to the depth of four inches. On the 9th rain and hail 1/2 inch. On the mornings of the 16th and 17th, fog rested on the hills and we had very slight sprinklings of rain. The 20th brought a slight fall of snow, and another the 22d. Snow fell to the depth of 1 1/2 inch on the 27th, and the rain of the 29th, was two inches and the snow that followed gave 8 inches. These were all the storms of the month. There were three days only of entire cloudiness - of entire clearness none. In 12 observations the course of the wind was northerly 64 - southerly 60.

The general temperature of the month was mild and agreeable, and until the sudden change of the 29th, was highly favorable for the fruit buds of the peach, etc. But when we saw the mercury sink 46° in twenty-four hours we must necessarily conclude that it is all over with them for the present year. Such changes are far more fatal in their effects than steady, uncompromising cold weather. This any individual may see from his own liability to take severe colds, contract lung-fevers and other diseases incident to frequent and severe changes of temperature.

Such changes are greatly injurious to domestic animals of all kinds and under the most favorable circumstances, but they are most keenly felt for those which are allowed to shift for themselves in getting protection. How much is suffered by animals and actually lost to farmers by negligence in providing shelter cannot be known. It is no doubt the case, however, that diseases are often contracted by such exposures which are not fully developed until the warm season, and then are attributed to wrong will surely regard the comfort as well as the life of his beast. Tours truly, W. Bacon.