The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-08-15
Continued from the first page.


Parma in Northern Italy; Belgrade on
the borders of Turkey, Of the Black
and Caspian Seas, of Northern Japan,
and Of Oregon; while all of Great Brit
ain and ireland, all of Germany, and
the greater part of France, are situated
several degrees of latitude farther North
than Minnesota. Different phases OF
temperature and various climates, cha
racterise each of these places and
countries; thus rendering it fully appar-
ent. that other circumstances in addition
to'laiiiude, must tend to modify climate
IN different sections OF the same zone.
These are: list. The geological struc-
ture of country-whether its surface
consists of mountains or valleys, or great
plains, fiat or rolling-whether it is COW
cred with forests or with grass, or is des-
titutc of all vegetation like desert. 9.
The nature and texture Of the soil, as
70 its being loose or hard, OF warm or
cold nature, its fertility or its barren
ness, together with It's power, relatively,
of absorbing and shedding moisture,
and OF absorbing aud radiating heat 3D.
AHC ScntTdf ItFCl vi tHc WHclt Iinu
above the oce2, 4th. It's remoteness
or neurness to his great reservoir of la
tent heat, orto large inland lakes or seas,
which like the former, present TO atmos-
pherIc action and the suns rays an ex-
tended area Of watery surface for evap-
oratien.
These all, besides latitude or location,
essentially modify climate by the infence
on the prevailing winds, upon the densi-
~ or rarity OF the atmosphere, and upon
Its moisture or dryness.
Thus much for climate in general
sense. The characteristics of the eli
mate Of Minnesota, are: LIST, The rarity
or thinness of its atmosphere, summer
and winter, especially in the former sea-
son. I'd. The absence of much mois-
ture in the air, which, therefore, is dry
as well as thin or rare. Sd. The small
amount of snow that falls in winter and
rain in summer 4th. The little rind
that prevails at any season, compared
with regions East, West or South of the
Territory. 9Th. The heavy dews which
are experienced in midsummer. 9th.
depth below zero to which the mercury
In the thermometer falls 7th The abb
sence Of late irosts in the spring after
vegetation has commenced, and of early
frosts in the fall, before vegetation has
ceased its labors
lst AS TO TIE RARITY OF THE ArMos-
PHERg.--The first peculiarly of the eli
mate, observable by stranger visiting
Minnesota, in summer, and, in less
degree, likewise in winter, is the great
ra'ity or lightness of the atmosphere, to
which the term pu,;tyis more commonly
applied, being by some deemed synoni-
nous with rarity. Owing to this pecu-
liarity, he finds his power of vision in
the rare and clear medium around him,
extended in a remarkable degree, so
that he is for a while continually de-
ceived, by imagining objects he sees to
be within a mile or two, that may be ten
times that distance. The generally
cloudless skies, too. are of deeper,
darker blue than he has been accustomed
to. He moves about with a lighter
step, more elastic tread. His spirits
are more elevated, and altogether he
feels as if weight had somehow been
removed from his system, outside and
inside, and that truly Minnesota was the
land where men breathed freer and
deeper" Some experience these diff
ferences in a greater degree than 9TH
ers, depending upon their being respec-
lively of sanguine or Emphatic temper
aments. The change likewise is most
noticed by those VINO are from lands
that lie near the level Of the ocean, in
the same or in lower latitudes. If the
stranger be a man of intelligence and
reading, he Immediately recurs to the
natural laws which science has shown
for these phenomena, and looks around
him to observe how the prominent fea-
lures of the country affect or modify the
operation of these natural laws.
He recollects, that the thin transpar-
ent fluid which We call air, rs compress
sible and elastic body; so subtle that it
cannot be handled, and when at rest it
cannot be felt; $40 times lighter than
water; expanding, rariiying, or increas-
ing its volume, with heat, and condens-
ing with cold and pressure; and that,
according to the estimate Of men of sci
ence based upon the refraction Of the
suns rays and other circumstances, it
is as great ocean wrapped around the
earth, to depth of from As TO so miles
above the highest mountains; though
"a 900 feet above the level Of the sea,
is the highest point ever reached lin bal
,oons) by any human being. That this
ocean of air penetrates into all unoccu-
pied places in the same manner as wa
ter seeks level by flowing into all
crevices and holes beneath its surface !;
that it also finds place In the bodies of
animals, plants and liquid substances,
and forms a menstruum essential to their
life and existence. That this menstru-
UNI, so thin, so transparent, so elastic,
vet possesses gravity and can be weigh
ed; it is SO heavy, in fact. that it has
been computed 20 exert pressure upon