182 QUARTERLY JOURNAL. 



which was instrumental in distributing the soil, moved from north 

 to south. In consequence, then, of the great extent of these rocka 

 to the north, and of the movement of the soils from north to south 

 over them, they possess the same character that they would have 

 held had they never been subjected to the distribution here de- 

 scribed. It is unnecessary to dwell farther upon these geological 

 facts : it is sufficient to state them in this place as facts, which we 

 may at some future time consider in other points of view. We may, 

 however, refer the reader to an article in the third number of this 

 Journal, on the subject of drift, in which the facts and principles 

 relating to the movement of soils is treated generally. It will be seen ■ 

 that the subject is one of great interest, and is of much practical 

 importance. 



This belt takes in one entire system of rocks in breadth, ex- 

 tending, according to observation, from the Hudson river and Lake 

 Champlain, to the foot of the Hoosic and Green mountains in Mas- 

 sachusetts and Vermont. It passes over one entire range of moun- 

 tains, viz. the Taconic, lying between New-York and Massachusetts, 

 and extending north into Vermont and Canada. The breadth of this 

 belt is between thirty-five and forty miles ; and so far as physical '] 

 and chemical characters are concerned, the soil of this whole belt J 

 is very uniform. Far to the north, climate will of course alter on 

 change the husbandry ; but were it not for this, we might consider'; 

 the belt as extending through Pennsylvania and the Southern States. 

 As climate is an important element in husbandry, we propose, firsti i 

 of all, to call the reader's attention to this subject. 



Climate. 

 From what has been observed in regard to the extent of this) 

 region, it will be understood that there must necessarily be both 

 variations and differences in its climate. Extending far north, iti 

 must necessarily pass into a rigid climate ; and to the south, into 

 one that is mild and temperate. Between the Canada line on the 

 north, and Mount-Pleasant on the south, there must obtain a diffe- 

 rence of 3-4° in mean annual temperature. There will also be 

 found a difference of temperature between the level of tide water 

 at Hudson, Albany or Troy, and the mountain belts which traverse ■ ^, 

 this region from north to south, of between 4 and 5 degrees. Ne- : rii| 

 vertheless, with these differences of temperature either from latitude 



