[36] 



Knoxville is the geographical center of East Tennessee, 

 and it occupies a mean elevation too, so that it may be taken 

 as the climatic center also. 



The summer mean at Knoxville, 736', is about that of 

 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well as that of several points 

 in central Virginia, of Cincinnati, Louisville, Kentucky, 

 southern Indiana, and central Illinois. It is that of the 

 central part of Spain, and the northern part of Italy. The 

 summer of the East Tennessee Valley is, therefore, consider- 

 ing its valley-like character and its low latitude, a compara- 

 tively cool one. This is mostly due to the considerable 

 elevation of the region above the sea. 



According to very careful observations made at the Ten- 

 nessee University, under the direction of the United States 

 signal service, at Knoxville, 



The mean temperature for the year is 57 



The mean heat for the summer is 74 



The mean cold for the winter is 40 



Average maximum temperature 91 



Average minimum , 2 



The result is a mild and equable climate, that combines 

 delightfully the temperate and tropical, without the extremes 

 of either. 



The mountains on either side protect the valley from the 

 blighting and chilling northern and northwestern winds 

 that so scourge the plains of the northwest, while they act 

 as a natural conduit for the milder and gentler winds that 

 come from the Gulf of Mexico. But even these are tem- 

 pered into pleasant breezes by the spurs or cross sections of 

 mountains which break out from the main ranges. Thus it 

 comes, that while it is a very rare occurrence to see the 

 anemometer standing still, destructive storms are never ex- 

 perienced. A happy result of these influences is a degree 

 of exemption from all malarial and atmospheric diseases, 

 unsurprssed in any country. The undulating surface of the 

 land, the great numbers and rapid flow of the rivers, the 



