15 



In April it has extended westward, and its northern line passes near St Louis, 

 and, running in a northeast direction, touches Lake Eric. The following map 

 exhibits its position and extent: 



This overflowing rainy belt finds its usual greatest western extension in July 

 through the middle portions of Texas, Kansas and Nebraska Territory, curving east 

 over a part of Lake Superior and the Oanadas. Here, then, we find the source 

 of the summer showers which so beneficially aid our agricultural products, 

 especially cotton and tobacco. It makes the United Stales the great corn-pro- 

 ducing country of the world, and gives a moisture and a fresh growth of grass 

 Avhich so beneficially affects the growth and quality of wools. Were it not for 

 this overflow of the rainy belt, the dry trade-winds would cover all of the United 

 States south of the 39th degree of latitude, and thus it would become, as in 

 California and New Mexico, impossible to grow these products, except where 

 they could be irrigated. And having no mountains high enough for their tops 

 to be covered with snow in summer, such irrigation could not be had. The in- 

 fluence which the mountains of Central America exert upon the climate of Great 

 Britain, by turning the Gulf Stream to its shores, has been a theme of much re- 

 mark in literary discourses, and we see in this exposition of the cause of our 

 great agricultural superiority their beneficent influence upon our climate. Truly, 

 indeed, was the world made by an All-wise Architect ! 



The attentive reader will have perceived that the northern half of the Ameri- 

 can continent has five distinct climates. The last map exhibits them by the 

 dotted lines and figures. 



The first extends from the equator to the middle of Lower California. It is 

 strictly tropical, being watered wholly by the rainy belt. The second is a nar- 

 row strip, about four degrees in width, and in length from the western settle- 

 ments of Texas to the Pacific ocean. It is the rainless country, as above de- 

 scribed. The third reaches from about the 32d degree of latitude to the 39th 

 degree, and extends east and west from the middle of Kansas to the Pacific 

 ocean. It is that portion that is alternately covered by the dry trade-wind and 

 tlie extra-tropical region of showers, and variable winds. Thefiourt/i lies north 

 of the 39th degree of latitude and extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans. 

 It is always covered by the extra-tropical showers. The fifitk is that part of 

 the Atlantic States east of the middle of Kansas, under the overflowing rainy 

 belt. A sixth climate might be added — that which lies on the ocean about three 

 hundred miles from the Atlantic coast, made by the Gulf Stream. 



We have thus, at some length, placed before our readers the different climates 

 of our country, and we are certain that in this exposition of the cause which 



