PECULIARITIES OF CLIMATE. 191 



places for some birds not known to breed in other localities in the State. 

 The Lake exerts an emphatic influence on the climate, zoology, and 

 botany of Northern Ohio, as has been well shown by Dr. Kirtland, whose 

 article on that subject I insert here as showing the peculiarities of this 

 region and a general view of the climatology of the State :* 



" Very erroneous opinions are entertained by even intelligent people, respecting this 

 geotion of country, so far as its climate and the species of the animal and vegetable 

 kingdoms are concerned. A series of observations, embracing a period of ten years, 

 have disclost d some very interesting facts upon these points. 



"The locality where these observations were made, is situated five miles west of 

 Cleveland, half a mile from the lake, one hundred and fifty feet above its surface, and 

 fully exposed to its influence. During the ten years, the temperature has in no instance 

 fallen below zero; while at Columbus, Marietta, and Cincinnati, situated from 120 to 

 150 miles to the south, it has frequently sunt to 5°, and has occasionally fallen to 10°, 

 at some of those places. There latitudes are as follows, to wit : 

 "Point of observation near Cleveland — 

 "North 41° 31'. 

 "Columbus, 39° 57'. 

 "Marietta, 39°. 

 "Cincinnati, 39° 5' 54". 

 " The more tender vegetation is usually cut down in all Northern Ohio— a few locali- 

 ties excepted — within five days of the 2oth of September. The lake shore is an excep- 

 tion. Dahlias, maize, and sweet potatoes are generally killed simultaneously here and 

 at Cincinnati — never before the 26th of October, and sometimes not until late in Novem- 

 ber. In one instance, at least, the lake shore escaped two weeks later than did Cin- 

 ainnati. 



" At the present moment, October 25, vegetation is as verdant and thrifty as it has 

 been at any time during autumn, though it was cut down throughout the West gen- 

 erally several weeks since. 



" The foliage of the fruit and forest trees, having subserved its purposes, is falling 

 without the intervention of frost, and the wood of the more tender trees, such as the 

 peach and cherry, has attained a maturity that will render it sufficiently hardy to with- 

 stand the impressions of cold during winter. This occurring annually, gives to these 

 trees a degree of vigor, health, and productiveness not to be met with in localities 

 where their growth is suddenly arrested by frost, at a period when they are immature. 



"In the middle and southern sections of Ohio, spring sets in during the month of 

 March — perhaps earlier. The warm winds blowing up the valleys of the Mississippi 

 and Ohio, in conjunction with others causes, bring forth vegetation earlier; but cold 

 weather and disastrous frosts too often follow. 



" While these changes are progressing in those parts of the State winter will remain 

 steadfast at this point. Little advancement will be made by spring, so long as any 

 considerable bodies of ice float upon the lake, even as low down as Buffalo. No sooner 

 do they disappear than spring sets in with a reality, and vegetation puts forth with sut- 

 arctic rapidity. 



* Peculiarities of the Climate, Flora, and Fauna of the South Shore of Lake Erie, in 

 the Vicinity of Cleveland, Ohio : by J. P. Kirtland. Am. Jour. Sci. and Arts, 2d Series, 

 xii, 1852, pp. 215-9. 



