[ganong] origins of SETTLEMENTS IN NEW BRUNSWICK 13 



Province at a few localities, the geographical foci as it were; and at 

 these places the principal settlements of the Province have existed from 

 the pre-historic period to the present, and there also are situated the 

 greater towns and cities to-day (compare Mapsi Xos. 3 and 13). 



d. Climate. Xew Brunsiwick possesses a cool temperate climate, 

 somewhat lower upon the whole than its latitude alone imposes upon it, 

 a fact due to the prevalence of cold currents both of air and water, 

 which, from meteorological causes prevail on the north-east coasts of 

 this continent. Both temperature and rainfall vary somewhat in differ- 

 ent parts of the Province, and there are the usual differences between 

 the greater extremes of the interior and the more uniform condition^ 

 of the coast, but the Province does not rise to sufficient elevations, nor 

 does' it extend far enough north and south to show any great climatic 

 variations, and such variations as appear are not great enough to have 

 affected the distribution of settlement except in very minor features. 

 The winter mean is about 18° F. with an extreme of — 35°, while the 

 summer mean is about 60° with a rare extreme of 96°. The mean annual 

 precipitation varies in different localities from 35 to 47 inches annually, 

 an amount sufficient to maintain the most luxuriant vegetation the tem- 

 perature will allow. Though thus cold in winter, the climate is ex- 

 tremely healthy, and no indigenous diseases exist in any part of the 

 Province. 



With so cool a climate, late spring and early fall frosts are somewhat 

 frequent and one of the chief foes of the farmer. This feature has 

 affected settlement somewhat in that it has been an additional reason for 

 the occupation of the ridges (a rather characteristic location of Xew 

 Brunswick settlements), which are less liable to such frosts than the 

 low ground. The great fertile Silurian Plateau in the north of the 

 Province is especially subject to such frosts, which may greatly retard 

 its ultimate settlement. 



e. SoUs.'^ Of the several factors connected with tlie natural wealth 

 'of New Brunswick the most important, and the most permanent in its 

 'effects, is the character of its soils. Of these the Province has a great 

 variety, from the richest loam to the most sterile rock, and the dis- 

 tribution and qualities are represented on the accompanying map (]\[ap 

 No. 4). Richest of all are the reclaimed sait marshes at the head of 



^ On the soils of New Brunswick there is important matter in .Johnston's 

 " North America," and especially in his " Reports on the Agricultural Capabilities 

 of New Brunswick." in Lugrin's New Brunswick (see Bibliography), in a Report 

 by Sheldon and Sparrow, published as a sessional paper by the Dominion Govern- 

 ment in 1882 (?) and in many of the Geological Reports. A somewhat full treat- 

 ment of the Westmorland marshes by the present writer is in the Botanical 

 Gazette. Vol. 36. 



