80 Dr. Holyoke's Estimate of the Excess of Heat and Cold. 



days; we have fewer cloudy days; and fewer foggy days; 

 and fewer rainy days.* 



Thus, by every method of comparing the two atmos- 

 pheres, the American appears to exceed the European in 

 point of dryness. And, although perhaps no one of all 

 these facts, brought to prove our atmosphere drier than that 

 of Europe, does, when taken singly, determine any thing 

 very satisfactory; yet, when they are all flxirly and candidly 

 laid together, the proof arising from their joint evidence 

 amounts to a very high degree of probability. 



It may now perhaps be thought incumbent upon me, to 

 shew how a greater purity and dryness of the atmosphere, 

 should occasion greater degrees of cold, or heat; or that I 

 should point out the process of Nature in generating heat 

 or cold from dryness and dephlogistication.f And mq^iy 

 probable reasons drawn from chemistry, and many very 

 plausible conjectures might be adduced, to prove and illus- 

 trate this point. But, as it seems generally supposed, that 



the theo 



feet 



les of heat, hitherto proposed, are rather impcr- 

 however that may be, as I must freely confess my- 

 self 



* lu the summer season, as there are more pHogisticatins processes goin*^ on in 

 Europe, to render the air foul, than in America, such as combustion, respiration, put- 

 refaction, &c. so in the latter it is probable, that, at this season, the vast number of trees, 



grow 



ty as m Europe, must furnish a larger proportion of this purer air : so that in the hot 

 as well as the cold seasons of the year. America must have the advantage of Europe in 



tins particular. ■ 



terms 



r^ -, , , —-. ; "— "■'i--^^c^acutea, as synonymous, or at least 



^IZTtlr r '"'""" ^'™"'P»"^-S -"^ »"- In ac same ..ate of the 



ZitZ . : ■ ?:, ' "' "'"^^^ -""^^''^ ^"'^ r'-Pical.y coBoeCed I do no. pre- 

 tend to a^ort; that tUe, commonly do accompany each o.lcr, I believe to bo certain. 



