Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1850-05-09

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oncc, from about the middle Of Noyem.
Der until the middle of May, in the lat.
i,ude of San Francisco, as lhe Wet sea.
son. ...-.. ...... ..
1t follows, as matter Of course, that
the dry season commences first, and con.
E,inues longest in The southern portions
of the Territory; and that the climate
of The northern part is influenced in q
much less degree, by the causes which
] have mentioned, than any other sec.
tions of the country. Consequently
we find that as low down as lat. 80 deg
rains are sufficiently frequent in sum.
mcr TO render irrigation quite unneces-
sary TO the perfect maturity of any crop
which is suited 10 the soil and climate.
There is an extensive ocean curreut
OF cold water which comes from the
northern regions of the Pacific. or, per.
haps, from the Arctic, and flows along
the coast of California. 1t comes charg.
ed with, and emits in its progress air,
which appears in The form of fog when
II comes in contact with higher tenn.
perature on the American coast, as the
gulf stream of the Atlantic exhales va
Por when IT meets, in any part Of its
progress, lower temperature. This
current has not been surveyed, and
therefore, It's source, temperature, We.
locity, width, and course. have not yet
been accurately ascertained.
1t is believed by Lieut.. Maury, on
what he considers sufficient evidence
and no higher anhoI,y can be cited
that this current comes from the coast
Of China and Japan, flows nor,hward-
y TO the peninsula Of Kamtschatka. and
makinga circuit to the eastward, strikes
the American coast in about latitude Al
or 42 deg. 1t passes thence soulhward.
ly, and finally loses itself in the tropics.
Below latitude thirty. nine. and west
Of the fot.hills of The Sierra Nevada, the
forests of California are limited to some
scattering groves of oak in, the val.
leyS and along the the borders of the
streams, and Of red wood on the ridges
and in the gorges of the hils-some.
times extending into the plains. Some
of the hills are covered with dwarf
shrubs which may be used as fuel
With these exceptions. the whole ter
ri,ory presents surfece without trees
or shrubbery. It's covered, however,
with various species of grass, and for
many miles from the coast, with wild
oats, which in the valleys. grow most
luxuriantly. These grasses and oats
mature and ripen carly in the dry sea.
son. and soon cease TO protect the soil
from The scorching rays Of the sun. AS
the summer advances, the moisture in
the atmosphere and the Garth, TO con-
siderable depth, soon becomes exhaust.
ed; and the radiation of heat from the
extensive naked plains and hill sides is
very great .-.' ~
The cold, dry currents Of air from
the northeast, after passing the Rocky
mountains and Sierra Nevada, descend
10 the Pacific, and absorb the moisture
Of the atmosphere. to great distance
from the land. The cold air from the
mountains, and that which accompanies
the great ocean current from the north.
west, thus become united, and vast
banks Of fog are generated, which,
when driven by the wind. has pene-
tra,iOg, or cutting effect on the human
| skin, much more uncomfortable than
would be felt inthe humid atmosphere
Of the Atlantic, at'a much lower tempe
raiure.. --frT = goo. .sh sd rr-
As the sun rises from day 10 day,
week after week, month after month;
in unclouded brightness during the dry
season. and pours down his unbroken
rays on the dry, unprotected surface of
the country, the heat becomes SO much
greater inland than il is on the ocean
tha, an under current ofcold air, bring
! ing the fog with il, rushes over the
coast range Of hills, and through their
numerous passes towards ihe interior.
Every day, as the heat, atlains a suf.
fcient temperature, The cold dry wind
! from the ocean commences below
This is usually from eleven to one o.
Yelock; and as the day advances the wind
increases and continues to blow till late
at night. When the vacuum is filled,or
Inc equilibrium of the atmosphere is
restored, the wind ceases a perfect
calm prevails until about the same hour
the following day, when the same pro-
cess commences and progresses as be.
fore, and these phenomena are of daily
occurrence, with few exceptions, through
out the dry season.
These cold winds and fogs render
The climate at San Francisco, and all
along the coast of California, except
the extreme southern portion oft. prob
aQly more uncomfortable to those no.
accustomed TO it, in summer than win.
ter.
A few miles inland, where the heat
of,he sun modifes and softens the wind
from the ocean, the climate is moderate
and delightful. The heat in the mid