80 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



siderable depth, enabling the French to invade Holland and destroy the ships 

 frozen in on the Zuyder Zee. The Avinter of 1813 was another of unusual 

 severity in Europe, and to its severity in a great measure may be attributed 

 Napoleon's terrible disaster in Kussia. From these instances of severe win- 

 ters in Europe, in former times, we conclude that cold in that quarter of our 

 globe is not on the increase. We should bear in mind, however, that certain 

 natural causes combine to render the climate of Europe more temperate than 

 the climate in the same latitudes on this side of the Atlantic. 



"We are assembled here today in the same latitude with the south of France 

 and the north of Spain, where the severe effects of winter are but seldom 

 felt. On this side of the Atlantic the winters are not of uniform temperature. 

 We read of fruit trees being totally destroyed, and the trees of forests being 

 split open by the intense cold in the eastern states. I regret that we have 

 no knowledge of the exact intensity of the cold waves referred to in 

 history. If we had we could ihen compare and determine the result. My 

 opinion is that cold waves are not more frequent than formerly; but for cer- 

 tain reasons, and through certain causes, we feel them more than we did on 

 former occasions. As you all know, cold waves are generated at the far north 

 and deflected by the Rocky mountains in a southeastward direction. While 

 passing over the broad prairies of the northwest the cold wave meets with no 

 obstacle, and finally it expends it force at the Gulf of Mexico. Oftentimes 

 the cold wave turns eastward after reaching Wisconsin, when, if persisting in 

 its course, it passes over Lake Michigan, which mbs it of its intensity and 

 moderates its fury. I know of no case when fruit trees were injured in west- 

 ern Michigan, by a cold wave blowing from the west. The injury was caused 

 in nearly all cases when the wind was from the south, east, or southeast. 

 The severest of the cold waves from the west, since Jan 1-3, 18G3, inclusive, 

 have by careful observation only reached from 10 to 12 degrees below zero, 

 on the western shore of this state, from Grand Traverse to Stevensville; while 

 inland, and in other states the mercury moved down to 30 and in many in- 

 tances to 40 and 45 degrees below. On the 9th of February, 1875, at 6:30 a. 

 M., under a gentle east wind, the thermometer ranged from 14 to 22 degrees 

 below, according to location, on this side of the lake, while at Chicago and 

 Milwaukee the mercury did not rcijister quite so low. I need hardly call your 

 attention to the unusual length and severity of our winter of one year Mgo, 

 when peach buds, except in orchards on high, dry ground, were all killed. 

 This fact proves, to some extent, that cold waves move close to the ground, 

 or that the higher side of tlie wave is not so cold as the lower. 



During the early part of this present winter a cold wave of more than 

 ordinary magnitude rolied down from the north, enveloping the northwest- 

 ern, middle and southern states in its cold mantle. This wave was scarcely 

 felt here in Michigan, while it entailed much suffering to man and beast iu 

 the west and southwest; and so severe was it in the south and southeastern 

 states that one man was frozen to death in Galveston and two in Mobile. Fish 

 were frozen in the river and the oranges were frozen on the trees in Florida. 



Having drawn your attention to the most notable cold waves recorded in 

 history, as well as to those within our own recollection and experience ; and 

 having advanced the opinion that cold waves are not more frequent and 

 severe tlian formerly, I will give reasons for my opinions, and hope these 

 reasons will be fully discussed by members of this society, and if the premises 

 upon which I base my opinion are unsound I shall stand corrected. I need 



