105 



The mitigating influence of bodies of water is familiar ; the fol- 

 lowing figures will serve to show the extent to which they modify 

 the mean temperatures of the four coldest monthsf : 

 A. IN NEW YORK. 



B. IN MICHIGAN. 



It will be seen that the warmest stations are in most intimate 

 connection with large bodies of water : Fredonia is on Lake Erie, 

 Rochester near Lake Ontario, Auburn near the Central New 

 York lake region, and possibly within the influence of Lake On- 

 tario, while Utica is farther inland. Similar observations might 

 be made concerning the Michigan stations. Temperatures of the 

 coldest days would show much greater differences. 



It should be observed that the influence of a body of water is 

 not governed by its proximitv, but by elevation of the land and 

 direction of winds. Grand Rapids, Michigan, although about 

 twenty-five miles from Lake Michigan, is greatly influenced by it. 



It is evident that if a windbreak stops or deflects a warm wind, 

 it may prove injurious. A still place in the lee of the windbreak 

 may therefore be the coldest part of the plantation. So far as the 



t Compiled from Blodget's Climatology of the United States, 38. 



