Dr Forry on the Climate of the United States. 83 



mony with the hiws of climate deA'eloped in the United 

 States. The climate of Nova Scotia, from the causes just 

 stated, exhibits a marked contrast to that of Lower Canada 

 on the same parallels. In Newfoundland, the climate is 

 similar to that of Nova Scotia ; but the summers, in conse- 

 quence of the melting of the icebergs on the coast, are less 

 warm, of shorter duration, and subject to more sudden vicis- 

 situdes. In Canada, remote from the Lakes, the climate is 

 of the most excessive chai'acter. At Quebec, when walking 

 along the streets, the sleet and snow frequently freeze in 

 striking against the face ; and here too the alternations of tem- 

 perature are so sudden, that the mercury has been known to 

 fall 70^ in the course of twelve hours. Cold weather sets in 

 as early as November, from the end of which month till May 

 the ground remains covered with snow, to the depth of thi'ee 

 or four feet. When the winds blow with violence from the 

 north-east, tlie cold becomes so excessively intense, that the 

 mercury congealed in the thermometer serves no longer to 

 indicate the reduction of tempex'ature. Wine and even ardent 

 spu'its become congealed into a spongy mass of ice ; and as 

 the cold still augments, there follows congelation of the trees» 

 which occasionally burst from this internal expansion, with 

 tremendous noise. During winter, the general range is from 

 the freezing point to 30° below zero. The seasons do not, 

 as in more temperate regions, glide imperceptibly into each 

 other. In June, July, and August, the heat, which often at- 

 tains 95" Fahr., is frequently as oppressive as in the West 

 Indies. 



On our western coast, the extremely modified climate of 

 the region of Oregon, on a parallel five degrees north of the 

 city of New York, has been already illustrated. During a 

 year's observations at Fort Vancouver, the lowest point is 

 17°, and the whole number of days below the freezing point, 

 are only nine, all of which are noted in January. We are 

 told by IMr Ball, of the State of New York, by whom these 

 observations were made, that he commenced plowing in 

 January of the year 1833. " The vegetables of the preced- 

 ing season," he says, " were still standing in gai'dens un- 

 touched by the frost. New grass had sprung up sufficiently 



