METEOROLOGY. 
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For comparison of climate the three following places in these provinces may represent Forts 
Kearney, Laramie, and Benton. 
Spring. | Summer. | Autumn. | Winter. Year. Ко. years, 
о о о о о 
Benton, Taganrog, latitude 47° 12’ 46.6 70. 2 47.8 22.3 46.7 16 
Kearney, Ekathérinoslaw, latitude 48° 20’ __.._... 46.5 70.3 48.7 19. 6 46.3 10 
Laramie, Odessa, latitude 46° 29’ 45.7 70.1 50. 7 21.4 48.5 8 
No point in this region has winters so cold as those of Fort Garry, and the nearest approach 
to its climate in Russia is found as far north as Kazan, оп the Volga. Kazan, latitude 55° 48': 
spring, 369.2; summer, 629,4; autumn, 369.9; winter, 69,8; year, 359.5; number of years, 10. 
In comparing the amount of moisture deposited in rain and melted snow the following places 
are selected, there being no records of the places used in comparison of temperature: 
To represent Fort Kearney, Koursk, latitude 51? 44’, four years’ observations: spring, 5°.6; 
summer, 99.3; autumn, 49.0; winter, 19,9; year, 20°.8. 
For Fort Laramie, Tiflis, latitude 41° 42’, six years’ observations: spring, 69,2; summer, 7°.6; 
autumn, 39.5; winter, 19.9; year, 199,3. 
For Fort Pierre, Simferopol, latitude 44? 57’, five years’ observations: spring, 3°.2; summer, 
69,0; autumn, 39.4; winter, 29.2; year, 14?.8. 
For Fort Benton, Bakou, latitude 40° 22’, three years’ observations; spring, 39.3; summer, 
19.5; autumn, 39.1; winter, 49.8; year, 139.4. No point within the limits has so much pre- 
cipitation as Fort Ridgley, but it comes nearest to Catania, in the fertile island of Sicily, or 
parts of Prussia and Italy, but has a larger precipitation in spring and summer. Catania, 
latitude 37° 50’, eight years’ observations, has for spring, 79.1; summer, 09,6; autumn, 109.5; 
winter, 99.7; year, 289.1. The record for Fort Benton being quite incomplete, further 
observations will, doubtless, give it more moisture, approaching the mean for Fort Laramie, 
if not exceeding it, since near the western coast more is deposited northward than southward. 
The data for European localities are copied from Blodgett's Climatology, where Dove is given 
as authority for most of them, and they may, therefore, be considered very reliable. In 
geological formation and soil the same remarkable similarity is apparent. ‘‘ Мг, Haxthausen 
divides the steppes geognostically into five classes or formations: | | 
51. The calcareous tertiary formation predominates in Bessarabia, in Podolia, and in a small 
part of the government of Kherson. | 
“2. Chalk forms the basis of the soil in the north, and embraces the steppes in the govern- 
ments of Kharkow, Woronéje, Tambow, part of the country of the Don Cossacks, and of the 
government of Saratow. 
“3. The granitic basis, 
and the Sea of Azow, on to the Caucasus. 
“4, Тһе mud steppes extend on the southwest al 
“5, The steppes with a saline basis extend on the east to the river Ten." 
Nos. 1 and 2 are precisely the tertiary and cretaceous formations which form nearly all the 
plains of Nebraska, &c., west of the 98th meridian; No. 3 is found along the faot of the 
mountains; No. 4 is represented in the alluvial river bottoms; and No. 5 ooon ЭШ. scattered 
situations in the western part of the Territory. Nebraska has also carboniferous limestones, 
418 
which is derived from the Carpathians, extends along the Black sea 
ong the Kouban and the Terek. 
