74 ENGINEERING ON THE FARM 



protected by a bank account of sufficient size to provide liv- 

 ing expenses through such a period. Some cases are open to 

 development which will tend to mitigate the unfavorable 

 years, but it should be clearly understood that the settling 

 of a country or any work that may be done on the surface 

 has no effect on the climate and that climatic conditions 

 which have existed will return. 



Temperature. Temperature cycles have been mentioned 

 above. One period of years will not only have an average 

 temperature considerably lower, but the maximum will be 

 below that of some other period. Consequently temperature 

 may be said to be constant only within certain limits. 

 Ranges of hills or mountains may cause some variation, 

 owing to the deflection of the prevailing winds ; large bodies 

 of water also have considerable effect because of the fact 

 that winds blowing over the surface of the water are affected 

 by its temperature. This causes the belt of land along the 

 shore to remain cold longer in the spring, and to keep warm 

 longer in the fall, than lands a few miles away. This is 

 frequently favorable to fruit growing in climates where the 

 fruits are injured by the late frosts of spring. The cold 

 wind from the water holds the blossoms back and prevents 

 early budding, so that when there is sufficient heat to develop 

 the buds all danger of a killing frost has passed. In the fall 

 of the year the winds are warmed by the water and prevent 

 early frosts. An area properly located with relation to a 

 large lake may therefore have a more favorable temperature 

 for fruit growing than an unprotected area many miles south. 

 However, both ranges of mountains and bodies of water are 

 natural factors in the modification of climate and are not 

 to be considered in the same class as that suppositional agent, 

 cultivation. 



To determine the temperature of an area with regard to 

 its suitability for the cultivation of crops, it is necessary to 

 study the weather reports for a number of years. The 

 average for a year or any given month is not sufficient. A 



