Dr. Forry on the Climate of the United States, 6fc. 31 



is of the most excessive character. At Q-uebec, when walking 

 along the streets, the sleet and snow frequently freeze in striking 

 against the face ; and here too the alternations of temperature are 

 so sudden, that the mercury has been known to fall 70° in the 

 course of twelve hours. Cold weather sets in as early as Novem- 

 ber, from the end of which month till May the ground remains 

 covered with snow, to the depth of three or four feet. When the 

 winds blow with violence from the northeast, the cold becomes 

 so excessively intense, that the mercury congealed in the ther- 

 mometer serves no longer to indicate the reduction of temperature. 

 Wine and even ardent spirits become congealed into a spongy 

 mass of ice ; and as the cold still augments, there follows conge- 

 lation of the trees, which occasionally burst from this internal ex- 

 pansion, with tremendous noise. During winter, the general 

 range is from the freezing point to 30° below zero. The seasons 

 do not, as in more temperate regions, glide imperceptibly into 

 each other. In June, July, and August, the heat, which often at- 

 tains 95° Fahr., is frequently as oppressive as in the West Indies. 



On our western coast, the extremely modified climate of the 

 region of Oregon, on a parallel five degrees north of the city of 

 New York, has been already illustrated. During a year's obser- 

 vations at Fort Vancouver, the lowest point is 17°, and the whole 

 number of days below the freezing point, are only nine, all of 

 which are noted in January. We are told by Mr. Ball, of the 

 State of New York, by whom these observations were made, 

 that he commenced plowing in January of the year 1833. "The 

 vegetables of the preceding season," he says, " were still standing 

 in gardens untouched by the frost. New grass had sprung up 

 sufficiently for excellent pasture. * * * Though the latitude is 

 nearly that of Montreal, mowing and curing hay are unnecessary, 

 for cattle graze on fresh-growing grass through the winter. * * * 

 Winters on the Columbia River are remarkably mild, there being 

 no snow, and the river being obstructed by ice but a few days 

 during the first part of January. Grass remained in sufiicient per- 

 fection to afford good feed ; and garden vegetables, such as tur- 

 nips and carrots, were not destroyed, but no trees blossomed till 

 March, except willow, alders, etc." 



2. Middle division. — This division comprises two general sys- 

 tems of climates, which bear, in some degree, the same meteoro- 

 logical relation to each other as the modified climate of the great 



