CAN A DA. 



dunatc. 



de Lnup. That of the upper province, however, is 



greatly SM|H nor, and the country much more level, 

 and bette: 1 for cultivation. In Canada there 



scarcely be said to be more than two seasons of 

 tlu- year, summer and wintrr. The snow has scarcely 

 disappeared, wlu-n the heat of summer is experienced ; 

 and the season of vegetation is prolonged through 

 the autumn months, till suddenly checked by the 

 rapid return of winter. The range of the thermo- 

 meter i-> very extensive, seldom less than 120 degrees, 



rally rising in summer to 92, and frequently fal- 

 ling in winter to 28 below y.ero ; that is, from (JO 

 above to 60 below the- freezing point. At midsum- 

 mer it has been observed occasionally as high as 96, 

 and in winter as l.nv ;u -K) degrees below zero ; but 

 the medium temperature in December and January 

 is 'J'J below the free/ing point. In the month of 

 July and August, the heat is peculiarly oppressive ; 

 and in September the weather is most pleasant. In 

 October and November, the snow begins to fall, and 

 the frost becomes daily more severe. In December 

 and January, winter reigns in all its majesty, and the 

 cold is very intense ; but the air, by means of the 

 congelation of its aqueous particles, is uncommonly 

 dry; and has not nearly so severe an effect upon the 

 feelings as a moist atmosphere with a higher tempe- 

 rature. When the cold dry air enters a heated apart- 

 ment, its drying power is astonishingly increased, 

 and its effects upon the furniture are very surprising. 

 In the course of a winter, the pannels of the doors 

 frequently shrink so much, as almost to fall out of 

 the frame, while the frame itself shrinks to such a 

 degree, that the bolt loses its hold. In the month 

 of March, the sky is clear, the sun shines bright, and 

 his heat begins to be felt. In April, the influence 

 of his rays is very considerable ; and, in the first 

 week of May, the snow has nearly disappeared, the 

 ice on the rivers and lakes is broken up, the ground 

 sufficiently soft for farming operations, and vegeta- 

 tion remarkably vigorous. In the settled parts of 

 Upper Canada, the climate is greatly milder, and the 

 winter of shorter duration, frequently passing with- 

 out much frost, and sometimes with scarcely any snow. 

 Neither Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, 

 nor Lake Mihigan, are subject to be frozen to any 

 great distance from their coasts ; but Lake Superior, 

 from its more northerly situation, is usually covered 

 with a solid body of ice for an extent of 70 miles 

 from land. In the region to the north-west of Lake 

 Superior, extending to the Stony Mountains, and 

 then northwards to the latitude of 72, the cli- 

 mate and soil are completely Siberian. The ground 

 is generally flat, bare of trees, (unless here and there 

 a few of stunted growth,) interspersed with lakes, 

 marshes, and an infinite mimW of streams, and in- 

 cessantly swept by stormy icy winds from the norih- 

 wcai. From the latitude of 4-6 the earth is frozen 

 throughout the whole course of the year; and at se- 

 veral trading posts, between 50 and 5o', it was found 

 impracticable to dig wells, even in the month of 

 July, the earth being thawed only to the depth of 

 three feet. In what may be called cultivated Canada, 

 howevei, in the upper province, and especially to- 

 wards the west, the climate bears a nearer resemblance 

 to that of Europe, in the same latitudes ; and there 



it very little difference to be found, except uch at 

 may proceed from the vicinity of high mountain* ' """' 

 covered with snow. The longer continuance of frot S . 

 and snow in Lower Canada, for nearly six mom In in l 

 the- year, has been attributed to. tRe immense desert 

 regions, which stretch towards the north ; and it it 

 chiefly when the wind blows from the north-east 

 quarter, where the mountains of ice are found, that 

 very great quantities of enow fall in that province. 

 The utmost depth of snow in the woods, when it it 

 not drifted by the winds, is usually six or iteren feet; 

 and the ice on the rivers generally acquires a thick, 

 ness of two feet and upwards; but, on the bo r 

 of St Lawrence, it sometimes exceed* even ix feet. 

 The climate of the lower province, however, hat 

 been observed to be rapidly ameliorating ; aud by a 

 meteorological table it has been ascertained, that in 

 the space of fifty-eight years, the medium cold of itt 

 winter has lost eight degrees of its wonted severity 

 in the neighbo Jrhood of Quebec. The period also, 

 at which the river St Lawrence is shut up by the 

 ice, is nearly a month later, than when Canada was 

 first colonized. This has been ascribed to the clear- 

 ing and cultivating of the lands, and it is not im- 

 probable, that thia cause may have had some small 

 influence ; but the tracts thus improved bear so 

 small a proportion to the whole extent of the coun- 

 try, and this amelioration of the climate has also 

 been so conspicuous even in those districts, which 

 are still in an absolute state* of nature, that it seems 

 more rational to refer it to some more extensive and 

 predominating operation in the system of nature. 

 ( See this subject discussed more fully in Volney's 

 View of the United States, p. 266.) It has been 

 mentioned also, (but whether to be considered as a 

 cause or as an effect of this improvement of the cli- 

 mate, it is not very easy to ascertain,) that the in- 

 land waters are deci easing, and that many lakes are 

 draining and filling up by the earth, which is carried 

 down by the rivers from the higher grounds. 



When the French commenced their settlements in Division 

 Canada, the country presented the appearance of one andcultiva- 

 vas-t unbounded forest ; and great privileges were l| o n 

 bestowed to encourage the colonists to attempt its 

 improvement. The lands on each side of the St 

 Lawrence, and of the rivers, whioh fall into its 

 channel, for a space of nearly 300 miles in length, 

 extending from 90 miles below Quebec to 30 above 

 Montreal, were granted by the French king, in ex- 

 tensive lots, called seigneur ies, to officers in the army, 

 to companies or associations, and to such uther indi- 

 viduals as possessed interest to procure them, and 

 who thus became seignevrs or lords of the territory. 

 TJiese tenures were entirely of a feudal nature, held 

 immediately of the king ; and, upon every transfer of 

 the property, the new purchaser paid a fifth part of 

 the value to the receiver-general, who gave a receipt 

 upon the title, and by this act invested him with the 

 possession. These seigneuries occupied from 100 to 

 500 square miles ; and the proprietors were bound 

 to concede them in smaller lots to the settlers, upon 

 certain conditions. These lots were very narrow in 

 front, seldom extending along the course of the river 

 more than three acres ; but they stretched a consi- 

 derable way, generally 80 acres, into the country 



