330 METEOROLOGY. 
growth of several winter crops, which in the mild winters near the western coast make 
considerable progress. Grazing is excellent throughout, precluding the necessity of laying up 
much supply of fodder. 
Even comparing the elevated interior with various places much further south, we find the 
advantage still in our favor: 
Latitude. Altitude. Years obs, February. March. December. 
о” Feet. о о о 
Albuquerque, New Mexico ..... ...-. 35 06 5,032 5 39. 6 47.9 86.0 
Fort Laramie, Nebraska 42 12 4,519 6 82.6 86.8 28.0 
Salt Lake City | 40 46 4,351 319 85.0 39.7 34.1 
which will not be exceeded in any part of the interior of Oregon, except near the Columbia, 
on account of the greater elevation of all parts of that country. 
Having, as already shown, more moisture deposited during winter and spring than any point 
in Nebraska, or near latitude 32? to 359, and having a spring allowing of earlier cultivation 
than the former, and even many parts of the latter region, there seems no climatic reason why 
the interior of Washington Territory should not produce abundantly all that can be cultivated 
in them, even without irrigation, or even more, as in the case of California. 
Dr. Logan considers February the first month of spring at Sacramento, and includes only 
December and January as winter months. Adding to these half of February and half of 
November, we may consider the three months thus formed the agricultural winter of the great 
plain. Mr. Blodgett estimates it at one hundred and ten days for Lapwai from November 11 
to February 28, and seventy days at San Francisco.—(Climatology, p. 500.) : 
Of the climate west of the Cascade mountains little need be said in addition to what is con- 
tained in Vol. I. l | 
It was there stated that along the coast the prevailing sea breezes from the southwest in 
winter, and the northwest winds in summer, so modify the climate that the isothermal lines run 
nearly parallel to the coast, making the climate of Puget Sound nearly as mild, and in summer 
more agreeable than at San Francisco, while it corresponds closely with that of the western 
coast of Europe in the same latitude, and especially that of the British islands. The effect of 
this amelioration from the prevalence of the southwest sea breeze is felt in winter, as has been 
here shown, as far east as Fort Union, on the Missouri, and has a constantly apparent effect on 
all the country east to Fort Benton. 
The tables given in Vol. I show that the extremes both of summer and winter are from 
5° to 10° less than in the interior, and that it as abundantly supplied with moisture as any 
part of the United States. 
Later records tend to show that the average amount at Steilacoom and Vancouver has been 
over estimated, and from forty to forty-five inches annually would be nearer the truth. Most 
of it falls during the colder months, and two or three of the warmest are usually quite dry, 
thus favoring the gathering harvests. Some rain, however, falls during every month, especially 
west of the Coast range, and no complaint of drought can be made against the climate. From 
the greater coolness of the summers, Indian corn, except as a green vegetable, does not 
generally succeed, and perhaps a few other products of California may be found unprofitable. 
but for others, especially orchard fruits, that State is surpassed, 
