164 



PHYSICAL GEOGKAPHY. 



TABLE Mil-— Continued. 



MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT MUSCATINE— TIMES OF OPENING AND CLOSING 

 AND NUMBER OF DAYS CLOSED. 



YEARS. 



OPENED. 



CLOSED. 



NUMBER OF 

 DAYS CLOSED 



CONSECU- 

 TIVELY DUR- 

 ING YEAR. 



1866 



March 9 



December 18 



85 

 103 

 81 

 52 

 15 



1%3 



1867 



April 1 



December 18 



1868 



March 9 



December 25 



74 



1869 



February 15 



March 8 







March 23 













Latest . . 



April 8 , 



February 6 



133 



113 











Earliest 



November 30 



November 18 



5 



25 











Mean. . . 



February 26 



December 23 



67 



67 











This Table of the time of opening and closing of the 

 Mississippi river, is introdnced both to show the length of the 

 winter; and also to afford nseful information to the shipper, as 

 this river must continue to become, more and more, the great 

 ontlet for the snrplns produce of the State. 



Boats generally continue to run till near the time of closing, 

 and always commence as soon as opened. 



The average time of closing is December 23d, of opening, 

 February 26th; and the mean number of days closed is 67, or 

 but little over two months. 



