XXYII. 



PEACHES PEAKS CHERRIES GRAPES. 



OUR harsh, capricious climate north of the lati- 

 tudes of Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and St. Louis so 

 much severer than that of corresponding latitudes 

 in Europe is unfavorable, or at least very trying, to 

 all the more delicate and luscious Fruits, berries ex- 

 cepted. Except on our Pacific coast, of which the 

 Winter temperature is at least ten degrees milder 

 than that of the Atlantic, the finer Peaches and 

 Grapes are grown with difficulty north of the for- 

 tieth degree of latitude, save in a few specially fa- 

 vored localities, whereof the southern shore of Lake 

 Erie is most noted, though part of that of Lake On- 

 tario and of the west coast of Lake Michigan are 

 likewise well adapted to the Peach. 



It is not the mere fact that the mercury in Fahren- 

 heit's thermometer sometimes ranges below zero, and 

 the earth is deeply frozen, but the suddenness where- 

 with such rigor succeeds and is succeeded by a tem- 

 perature above the freezing point, that proves so in- 

 hospitable to the most valued Tree-Fruits. And, as 

 the dense forests which formerly clothed the Alle- 

 (156) 



