48 Our Surroundings 



sea, causing a land breeze toward the lake or sea as the warmer 

 air over the water rises. 



Effect of Large Bodies of Water on Crops. Because of 

 their influence in modifying temperature, large bodies of water 

 greatly affect growing vegetation and especially food crops. Vine- 

 yards are more profitable near a lake or other body of water be- 

 cause the heat carried by the winds from the water to the land 

 keeps the section above the freezing point later in the season and 

 thus allows the grapes to ripen. Further inland, where this heat 

 fails to reach, frosts occur and destroy the grapes before they 

 ripen. The same thing happens to other crops. In Labrador, the 

 coasts are cold and have scanty vegetation, owing to the influence 

 of the cold ocean current from the polar regions that flows 

 near, while in Great Britain, in the same latitude, the coasts 

 are warm and vegetation flourishes, owing to the nearness of 

 the warm waters of the Gulf Stream that flows near its 

 shores. 



Uses of Water. Water has many uses, chief among which 

 is its aid in sustaining the life of all living things. For this it is 

 a necessity. All other uses are slight in comparison. There never 

 was a time when man did not recognize the necessity of having 

 a supply of water that was fit for him to drink. In seeking for 

 new places to dwell, man's first consideration has always been to 

 find sufficient water for his family and his flocks. 



Some of the most wonderful structures built by man have been 

 for the purpose of providing water. The great Roman aqueducts 

 and reservoirs ruins of which may still be seen show that 

 people of past ages went to tremendous labor and expense to 

 secure adequate water supply. In the western part of our 

 country in modern times, immense dams have been built to hold 

 water for the purpose of irrigating desert lands to make them 

 productive for man and beast. 



Water always has provided food for races of men that dwelt 

 near lakes or streams or on ocean shores. In some cases, fish 

 was the main article of diet. In the old days, when streams 

 or lakes were fished out, those dependent upon them for their 

 living were obliged to move to other localities. For the same 



