66 Scientific Intelligence. 
their heat, while before arriving at St. Petersburg, they must lose — 
much of their heat in melting the snow over an extensive track. 
The result is, “that seldom a winter month passes without tempera- 
thermometer does not rise above 39°, while at Barnaul a tempera- 
ture of 42° may occur at that time, (for example on the 4th, 5th 
and 6th of February, 1855). 
have mentioned alread pe — of the snow in checking 
the rise of temperature, and employing more abundant heat in 
melting. This is most felt in pee and lowers much the tem- 
perature of this time of the year, as for example, while in Central 
urope, at some reat of the sea, April has nearly the same 
temperature as October, in the same latitude; in Russia the 
warmth of the sun’s faye cannot raise the temperature of the air 
so much, and April is generally 4° F. colder than October, while 
May has the same temperature as September. As soon as the 
snow is melted our climate assumes its true continental character. 
mber. 
I ante now state a last point, the neseeseet of forests in equaliz- 
ing the layer of snow and giving to it all its beneficial effects. 
Wichowt the Serene a a great mass of snow is often a check to all 
munication, as for example, at this moment in South Russia, 
“are most of the e railways are stopped. The u alana great m 
round. Geneity speaking, 
effecta of a thver of snow are beneficent té man. The pr ‘opor- 
tion of the crops is of enormous economical worth. The greater 
at of the air is also good, and even the = of spring 
aused by the melting of snow, has its good s The 
rapid advance of vegetation in early spring is botkak by it, at 
pro ed to a time when the vegeta les have less to fear from 
night frosts. Northern Europe, for example, suffers much less | 
from this curse than the south, where the returns of cold in — 
cause great damage every year. are 
sometimes felt, the interruption of communication in snow oad 
and the great floods of spring. But both of these drawbacks can 
be avoided by the foresight of man, as forests arrest the progress 
of winds and cause a slow melting in sprin ring, 0-08 to store s grt 
quantity of water to supply our rivers. 
St. Petersburg, 20th February, 1871. 
t 
