CLIMATE &c., OF THE SOUTH SHORE OF LAKE EEIE. 



Not a fruit-germ was injured on the lalie shore. A diflferent state of things occurred 

 throughout the West and South- West, where no local influences interposed. The 

 temperature steadily declined, without intermission, during the day and night, down 

 to about 26°. The day following was cold and blighting, and fruits were generally 

 destroyed. 



The modes by which the lake exerts its influence on such occasions, do not appear 

 to be uniformly the same at difterent times. 



On the approach of a cold night, as in the instance above noticed, the warm ema- 

 nations condensing may give oft" caloric, and obscure the atmosphere with haze, mist, 

 or clouds, when no frost will occur. 



Under circumstances apparently similar, on the approach of a cold night, neither 

 haze, mist, or clouds may form, but a stiff breeze springs up, and the stars become 

 unusually brilliant. The thermometer vacillates between 32° and 38°, rising with 

 the gusts of wind, and falling during the intervals of calm. Then no frost will 

 appear. 



Again, none of these modifying causes may intervene, but the temperature may fall 

 below freezing point, ice form on the surface of water, and the expanded fruit, leaves 

 and blossoms congeal. Under such circumstances, the first rays of the rising sun the 

 next morning will be arrested by a haze, which will soon thicken, and before noon a 

 warm rain will probably fall. The frost will be abstracted so gradually from frozen 

 vegetation as not to impair its vitality. 



These contingencies have all occurred within the period of our observations. The 

 year 1834, proved an exception. — The general cold prevailed over the local warmth of 

 the lake ; freezing weather continued two or three days, and fruits were cut off", even 

 on the shore of the lake. 



In autumn, this great body of water begins to part Avith its warmth to the colder 

 incumbent atmosphere, and the process continues during the winter. While its pro- 

 gress is most rapid, strong southerly winds prevail at the earth's surface, while volumes 

 of clouds, at a high elevation, may at the same time be moving rapidly in an oppo- 

 site direction. 



These counter-currents have sometimes given origin to a phenomenon in the city of 

 Cleveland, not well understood by all of its good citizens. The vane of the lofty spire 

 of the Baptist church, standing on a high ridge of ground, may point steadily to the 

 north, while that on the low cupola of the First Presbyterian church, situated on a less 

 elevated plateau, may be directed to an opposite point of the compass, with a stiff 

 southerly breeze at the same time. 



Cool north winds begin to prevail about the middle of October. The emanations 

 from the lake then begin to condense and pass off to the south, in the form of thick 

 clouds, without discharging, at first, much rain. About the 20th of October, the cold 

 from the north seems to gain the ascendancy ; squalls of rain, hail and rounded snow 

 appear alternately, with intervals of clear and warm weather. These squalls always 

 precede the autumnal frosts. Our gardeners feel no apprehension for their tender 

 vegetables till these premonitions have appeared. 



