UNITED STATES. 



south-west wind, and its general prevalence in the 



territory, will not account for it, neither will the sup- 

 posed influence of clearance and cultivation of the 

 country, explain the occurrence : nay, the increase of 

 cold might with great reason be ascribed to the very 

 cause, which has been supposed to produce an oppo- 

 site effect ; for we know that the whole Mississippi 

 Territory has undergone very increased cultivation, 

 ■within a few years past, and it is annually extend- 

 ing. 



In other parts of the continent, an opinion prevails 

 very generally, that our climate has undergone a very 

 considerable change, for the better. That our Win- 

 ters are much more moderate^ and our Summers less 

 hot. A similar opinion prevails with respect to the 

 amelioration of the climate of Europe, and the Abbe 

 Man has written a learned paper on the subject, in 

 which he cites numerous facts from ancient authori- 

 ties, to prove the greater coldness of the Winters in 

 former times, in every part to the northward of 44 

 degrees, than at present. Allowing the accuracy of 

 the facts which he quotes, respecting particular se- 

 vere Winters, it does not follow, that the countries 

 he mentions were uniformly cold ; for even now we 

 have occasionally very cold weather ; and we also 

 know that the shores of the Baltic were the grand 

 store-house of the world. With regard to our own 

 country the want of a regular series of observations 

 prevents our ascertaining the point, with great accu- 

 racy, but we have some data to allow the formation 

 of the opinion, that the same variation in the Win- 

 ters were noticed at an early period of the settle- 

 ment of the country, as at present. The second shi|i 



