1882 The winter of 1881-2 was very mild. I have noticed that every other winter is mild and others severe. My observations date back for 14 years. and I am beginning to make my calculations accordingly. The spring was very backward and late frosts did much damage to gardens. The season was cool and wet, just the opposite to that of last year. Many parts of the country as Iowa and Illinois where the drouth of the year previous had been so severe were now flooded so that crops were again nearly a failure. The Mississippi bottom was overflowed doing much damage. The stream in some places was over 75 miles wide. Nothing like this rise was remembered by the oldest pioneers. In Northwest Missouri, crops were fair, and in some parts were the best for years. Wheat was very good though in many bottoms it was ruined by the heavy floods during harvest. My success at gardening was indifferent owing to such an excess of rain. However, I had much to be grateful for as our health was good and we had plenty to live on. The fall proved dry and warm and farmers had no trouble in storing away their crops. During the summer, I had a well bored and a cave dug and as I did all of the work that I could myself, I was kept very busy. In September, I commenced teaching again and so had but little time for recreation during the year. +++++++++++++++++