ARhA AND DRAINAGE BASIN OF LAKH SUPERIOR 



By I)i{ Maimv W. llAi!i;i.\(iT().\. 

 Presiilent of the Vnircrsiti/ of the Sidir of Wnshliii/fnit 



Lake Superior is tlie larnest and one of tlie deepest, not only 

 of the Great Lakes of the St r.aAvrence hasin, but of all the 

 bodies of fresh water on tlie earth, and it possesses some other 

 remarkable characteristics of its own ; yet, though it has been 

 so long known tiiat it was roughly majiped 250 years ago under 

 its present name, and charted several times with fair accuracy 

 in details for the time l)ef()re the end of the 17th century, and 

 though it was charted with minute accuracy by the riute<l 

 States engineers 30 years ago, there has even yet been l)ut little 

 discussion of its more interesting and peculiar features. This is 

 all the more remarkable because its extraordinary wealth in 

 minerals and fish has been recognized from the beginnim: and 

 has for half a century formed an important item of our national 

 wealth and commerce, and moic recent developments have 

 shown agricultural possibilities which are by no means con- 

 temj)til)le. It is the ])urpose of this pai)er to call attention to 

 some of the })eculiar and noteworthy features of the lake, more 

 especially those which relate to its climate and wcntlicr and 

 have a bearing on its conunerce and agriculture. 



The statistics of Lake Superior, as to coast line and ari'a. vary 

 so much in geograi)hic publicati(_)ns that 1 have had new meas- 

 urements made with a ])lanimeter by Mr \\. F. De (irain. of the 

 ^\'eather liureau, the coast line being carefully mi'iindered. 'I'he 

 following are the results: 



C<)((xt Liiw 



On American side .SSO niik-ti. 



On Canadian side ^^- " 



Total coa.st line 1,s7l' miles. 



