HISTORY OF VERMONT. 11 



of three thousand and eight hundred gallons of 

 water, over one acre of land, in 12 hours, during 

 the hot weather; and at the same time to effect the 

 dispersion of 6 times and 8 tenths as much water 

 from the surface of the earth, as would have 

 been dispersed in its uncultivated state. If we 

 may judge upon a matter which cannot be re- 

 duced to exact calculation, it should seem that 

 the cause was here equal to the effect. 



A change in the climate hath also been man- 

 ifest in the apparent decrease of the snow, in all 

 the ancient cultivated parts of the United States. 

 Whether there has been any alteration in the 

 annual quantity of rain in any part of America, 

 we cannot determine, for want of meteorologic- 

 al observations ; but a great decrease of snow 

 has been observed in all the ancient settlements. 

 At the first settlement of New England, the 

 earth was generally covered with snow for more 

 than three months in the year. It began to fall 

 in large quantities by the first of December, 

 and seldom went off until some time in March. 

 This is yet the case in the inland and mountain- 

 ous parts of the country. The snow covers 

 them for three months, and is scarcely ever 

 carried off by a thaw until the spring comes on. 

 In those parts of the country which have been 

 long settled and cultivated, the snows have been 

 declining for many years. They are neither so 

 frequent, deep, or of so long continuance, as 

 they were formerly : And they are yet declin- 

 ing very fast in their number, quantity, and 

 duration. This event is derived from the changrt 

 of temperature, which has taken place in the at- 

 mosphere ; and probably will keep pace exactly 

 K 



