44 An American Fruit-Farm 



innumerable gas wells in the Valley, attaining a 

 depth of one hundred and seventy-five feet in 

 many places. Lake Erie tempers the weather, 

 preventing extremes of heat and cold, making 

 spring late and prolonging autumn till all fruits 

 and the wood of the new growth are well ripened. 

 The lake is part of an immense waterway, some 

 two thousand miles long, a depression which is 

 the natural highway for winds and storms, afford- 

 ing perfect ventilation of a body of air warmer than 

 otherwise would be found in this latitude. This 

 ventilation secures against frosts and cold and 

 storms of all kinds, for most storms which threaten 

 the Valley move down the lake without harm. 

 The lake winds protect orchards and vineyards, and 

 every field they sweep, from untimely frosts. On 

 an early September day, the traveler who passes 

 over the crest of hills to the south of the lake and 

 thus emerges into the edge of the Mississippi 

 Valley notices at once a change of temperature. 

 He sees a region blackened by early frosts. The 

 demarcation is sharp: on one side of the highway 

 purpling vineyards, peach trees bending low with 

 fruit; on the other side, cornstalks blackened by 

 frost, and everywhere the sere and yellow leaf. 

 It is useless to attempt to raise fruit outside the 

 fruit line of the Lake Erie Valley. Here, almost 

 in sight of the lake, one may raise cherry trees for 

 shade but not one cherry will ever ripen on the 

 tree. 



Nor is this the conclusion of the matter; Nature 



