NORTH AND NORTHWEST OF THE VALLEY OF THE MOHAWK. 
27 
TABLE III. Comparison of the forwardness of the seasons, with the average of the State during the same years. 
FACTS OBSERVED. 
Mexico. 
Belville. 
Lowville. 
Gouverneur. 
Potsdam. 
Malone. 
Plattsburgh. 
Days 
Days. 
Days. 
Days 
Days. 
Days. 
Days. 
Robins first seen. 
•+ i 
+ 0* 
+ 8* 
— 3 
+ 7t 
+ 9 
+ 9* 
Shadbush in bloom .. . 
+ 7* 
+ 6* 
.... 
+ 1* 
+ 5f 
+11* 
.... 
Currants do .... 
+ 3* 
“h 8 « 
+ 6 
+11 
+ 5 
+21* 
. . .. 
Plum do .... 
+ 3* 
+ 4 
+ 3f 
+ 5 
+ 3t 
+13* 
+12* 
Cherry do .... 
+ 6* 
+16* 
+ 9* 
+15* 
+10* 
.... 
+12* 
Apple do .... 
+ 2* 
4“ 4 
+ n 
+12* 
+ 5t 
+12* 
+ 19* 
Lilac do .... 
+ 1* 
+ 14* 
+ 6 
+ 4* 
+11 
+ 6* 
+ L1* 
Strawberries ripe ..... 
+12* 
+12* 
+ 8 
+ 6* 
+ ot 
+ 9* 
+ 7* 
Haying commenced ... 
+ 15* 
— 2* 
— 1* 
+ 7 
+ 6* 
+19* 
Wheat harvest ditto .. . 
.... 
• . ... 
• . . • 
.... 
+ 9 
.... 
.... 
First killing frost. 
— 3 
— 2 
-lot 
-Ilf 
—16f 
.... 
.... 
* The result of less than four years observation. 
f The result of observations for ten years or more. 
REMARKS ON THE FOREGOING TABLES. 
Here, with the exception of Ogdensburgh and Plattsburgh, we have all the characteristics 
of a more rigid climate: low mean temperature, extreme cold in winter, great range of 
the thermometer, backward seasons and early frosts. The temperature is not, however, 
much lower on the whole than is due to the latitude and elevation of the places of obser¬ 
vation. Gouverneur is colder by over 1°, and appears to be the coldest place but one in the 
State from which reports are received. In regard to extreme cold in winter, it stands 
unrivalled, and that with almost perfect uniformity every year. The observations at 
Ogdensburgh were taken but for a single year; but if that is a fair specimen, its tempera¬ 
ture is more uniform and less liable to extremes of heat and cold than the average of the 
State. This may be accounted for by the equalizing influence of the St. Lawrence river, 
which is a mile and a quarter wide at that place, and scarce ever freezes over in the winter. 
On the other hand, it maintains a considerably lower temperature than the surrounding air 
in the summer season. Being composed of so vast a body of water, its temperature is but 
slowly affected by that of the country through which it passes; and it partakes, in con¬ 
siderable degree, of the uniformity of Lake Ontario in this respect.* 
The following statement in regard to the temperature of Lake Ontario, will be of service 
in enabling us to estimate its influence on the climate of the surrounding country. It is 
deduced from experiments made under the direction of Prof. Dewey of Rochester, in the 
years 1837 and 1838, and shows the mean of eight observations, taken every six or eight 
* See Observations on the temperature of the St. Lawrence, published in the Regents Report for 1838, page 218. 
4 
