Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1850-05-09
REPORT OF
EEOR. Il. Rutlcr King,
ON - o.. e;
CA LIFOR n I A.
CLIMATE.

"GF ST . CLIMATE. F. ,..'H
now come to consider the climate.
The climate of California is so remark
nbIe in its periodical changes, and for
the long continuance of the wet and
dry seasons. dividing, as they do, the
year into about two equal parts, which
have most peculiar influence on the
labor applied 10 agriculture and the
products of the soil, and, in fact con
| meet themselves so inseparably with all
The interests Of lhe country, that | deem
i lproper briefly TO mention the causes
which produce these changes and which
it.wil be seen. as this report proceeds.
must exercise controlling influence on
the commercial prosperity and resour.
ces of the country.
1t is well established theory. that
the currents Of air nnder which the
earth passes in its diurnal revolutions
follow the line of the suns greatest at
traction. These currents Of air are
drawn towards this line from great dis
,anccs on each side Of it. and as the
earth revolves from west TO cast, they
DlO"- I'bb bVI tCdst ubu o"u'i"No'
meeting, and of course causing calm,
on the line. ---a
Thus, when the sun is dreclly in
common parlance, over the equator, in
the month Of March, these currents of
air blow from some distance north Of
the tropic of Cancer, and south of the
tropic of Capricorn, in an oblique d.
rec,ion towards this line of the suns
greatest attraction, and forming what
are known as the northeast and south.
westtrade winds. ... -. fzra--
As the earth, in its path round the sun
gradually brings the line Of attraction
north, in summer these currents of air
are carried ,oifh il; SO that about the
middle of May the current from the
northeast has extended as far as the
39lh degree of north latitude, and by
the 2Oih Of June, the period Of the suns
greatest northern inclination, 10 the
northern portions of California and the
southern portion Of Oregon.
These northeast winds, in their pro-
gress across the continent, towards The
Pacific ocean pass over the snow-cap'
ped ridges of the Rocky Mountains and
the Sierre Nevada, and are of course
deprived ,of all moisture which can be
extracted from them by the low tempe
ralure of those regions ofelernal snow
and consequently no moisture can be
precipi,a,ed from them, in the form Of
dew or rain, in a higher temperature
than that to which they have been sub
iec,ed. They, therefore, pass over 'ht
hills and plains of California where
the temperature is very high in sum
mer, in very dry state; and so ial
from being charged with moisture. they
absorb, like sponge allthat the almos
phere and surface of The earth can yiclS
until both become, apparently. per
feclly dry.
This process commences, as have
said, when the line of the suns great
est attraction comes north in summer
bringing with it these vast atmospheric
movements, and on their approach, pro
duce the dry season in Caifornia,whic
governed by these laws, continues un
ill some time after the sun rcpasses lh
equator in September; when. about lh
: middle of November, the climate bein!
' relieved from ,heseynorlheast current
of air, the southwest winds set in from
the ocean charged with moisiure-lh
rains commenceand continue 10 fall no
constantly, as some persons have repre-
scnicd. but with sufficient frequency {,