INTRODIKTION, 



Burton E. Livingston, C. W. Fallass, H. W. Hyser, and R. K. Mat- 

 teson, have assisted me in various "ways. 



I am indebted to the courtesy of the following- gentlemen for 

 assistance within the line of their official work: W. L. Moore, 

 Chief of the United States Weather Bureau at Washington, D. C, 

 and C. F. Schneider, of the Michigan Section of that Bureau, for 

 meteorological data for the city of Grand Rapids and the Lower 

 Peninsula of Michigan; to Dr. A. C. Lane, State Geologist; to 

 Mr. Frank Leverett of the United States Geological Survey, and 

 Mr. J. F. Nellist of this City, who have assisted Dr. Lane upon 

 local geology. They, with many others, have kindly contributed 

 notes or specimens which have assisted in the preparation of the 

 work. 



It is a special pleasure to recall and acknowledge the help of the 

 pupils of the Grand Rapids High School. 



CLIMATIC INFLUENCE x\ND DISTRIBUTION. 



The City of Grand Rapids, picturesquely situated in the Grand 

 River Valley, on Grand River, has a latitude of 42.96° N., and a 

 longitude of 85. GG^ W. 



The climate of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan is greatly mod- 

 ified by the surrounding lakes. They render the temperature 

 milder in the winter and more uniform in the summer. 



The central part of the district is about 32 miles east of Lake 

 Michigan, and has the advantage of being on the milder side of the 

 State. It is also in the center of the "-peach district." That this 

 fruit can be grown here so successfully is regarded as due to 

 climatic influences rather than to the nature of the soil. 



The western side of the State is, warmer than a corresponding 

 latitude on the eastern side, owing to the southwesterly winds 

 across Lake Michigan. The annual range of temperature for the 

 City of Grand Rapids is 116°. The annual mean for a series of 

 ten years is 46.9° . On an average, the first severe frost is about 

 the last of September: the last, about the first of May. 



