September 1749. 



" than before *." It is further remarked, 

 that the hot fummers are always very fruit- 

 ful 



* It is not only the clearing of woods, but cultivation, 

 and population, that alter the climate of a country, and 

 make it mild. The Romans looked upon the winters of 

 Germany and England as very fevere, but happily both coun- 

 tries have at prefent a much more mild climate than for- 

 merly, owing to the three above mentioned reafons. Near 

 Peterjburg, under fixty degrees north latitude, the river 

 Neva was covered with ice 1765, in the beginning of De- 

 cember, and cleared of it April the uth 1766. At Tfarit- 

 Jtn, which is under forty-eight degrees forty minutes north 

 latitude, the river Volga was covered with ice the 26th of 

 Novsthber 1765, and the ice broke in the river April the 

 27th 1766, (all old ftile). Is it not almoit incredible, that 

 in a place very near twelve degrees more to the fouth, the 

 effects of cold mould be felt longer, and more feverely, 

 than in the more northern climate. And though the neigh- 

 bourhood of Peterjburg has a great many woods, the cold 

 was, however, lei's fevere, and Jafting; Tfaritjttt on the 

 contrary has no woods for many hundred miles in its neigh- 

 bourhood, if we except fome few trees and bufhes, along 

 the Volga and its ifles, and the low land along it. Where- 

 ever the eye looks to the eaft, there are vaft p!ains without 

 woods, for many hundred miles. The clearing a country 

 of woods, cannot therefore alone contribute fo much to 

 make the climate milder, But cultivation does more. On 

 a ploughed field the fnovv will always fooner melt, than 

 on a field covered with grafs. The inflammable warm per- 

 ticles brought into the field, by the various kinds of ma- 

 nure, contribute much to foften the rigours of the climate; 

 but the exhalations of thoufands of men and cattle, in a pa- 

 pulous country, the burning of fo many combuftibles, 

 and the difperfion of fo many cauflic particles, through 

 the whole athmofphere ; thefe are things which contribute 

 fo much towards foftening the rigours of a climate. In a 

 hundred fquare miles near TjaritJtH, there is not fo much cul- 

 tivated land as there is within ten near Pcierjburg ; it is in 

 proportion to the number of the inhabitans of both places, 



and 



