The Kanzas news., 1857-10-31
climatology of the United States.

Climatology of the United States.
The diversity of climate in the United
States, as compared with any country ol
Europe, furnishes the American student oi
cllmatology with materials for investigation
OF remarkable variety. Since the year 1918
the results of meteoric observations have
been accumulating in scientific institutions
at Washington and elsewhere, sometimes
constituting very accurate series. Such re-
cords were voluminously collected by Prof
Espy to aid his researches into the theory OF
storms, and by the Smithsonian Institute
during Its more recent inquiries. The ex-
lstence of these materials suggested to MIR.
Biodget thorough discussion of the china
tology of the United States. The labor re-
quisite to produce trustworthy work from
such varied and often conflicting sources,
comprising first, the verifcation of the re-
cords and the elimination of errors that
might have crept into them, and next, their
combination into expressions which should
Indicate the average temperature, quantity
of rain, the character and direction of storms,
winds, etc., can hardly be imagined by per-
sons not familiar with the methods of nat
ural science.
The distinction of a very marked charac-
ter which exists between the parts of the
continent separated by the Rocky Mountains,
has hardly been recognized hitherto in de-
scriptions of the climate of North America
Only those characteristics which belong to
the area east of the great plains are usually
ascribed to it, and the homogeneous phenom-
ena occurring over that great extent of sur
face constitute the European idea of the
North American climate. 1t is now known,
however, that the difference between the
Atlantic and Pacific districts is very great
Very lately the distinction made between
the climate of the old world and that of the
new, was to call the former continental, and
the latter oceanic; the climate of our whole
country being assumed from that of the
eastern States and the valley of the Missis
sippi. There was reason for this distinction,
because the condition of the Pacific coast
and the interior was then unknown; but it
is now certain that arid and continental eli
mates are as well marked here as in the old
world.
The distinction iormerly drawn between
the Atlantic States and the Mississippi val
ley, in respect of climate, is no longer re-
garded, as the progress of observation has
shown them to be essentially alike. No i'm
porant facts exist emitting them to sepa-
rate classification. Both are subject to great
and similar extremes both at some seasons
have distinct continental features, and at
Others characteristics of tropical climates
equhlly strongly marked. The popularity
of This area is its adaptation to wide range
of animal and vegetable life. Its tempera-
I,,E i
bracing the summer heats of the tropics,
with profusion of rain, succeeded by cold
of great severity. The result is the accli-
milton of plants and animals in great varie
ty This is the distinction, if not the ad
vantage of the United States, as compared
with western Europe. The temperature of
thu States between the Ohio and the Gulf of
Mexico is considerably above that of many
poHions of the tropical seas, but associated
in pther respects with the peculiar features
of the temperate climates-with equally dis
tributed yet abundant rains. and with high
curve of daily change. cit is" says Mr..
Blcdge., ''simply an excess of temperature
and Of humidity, engrafted on, without 9th
erwise changing, the characteristic laws
elsewhere belonging TO much lower tempera-
lures"
The excess of summer temperature in the
United States appears more decidedly pecu-
liar, because it is in such striking contrast
with that of European summer. Its proper
is with China, the districts of
the Black Sea, or the northern valleys of
India. China is very little known, but there
is reason to believe that the correspondence
is complete. The mean temperature of
in Japan, and Canton, do not
differ materially from those of Charleston
and Key West, respectively. A distinct
climate would result from the
excess of heat in the southern States, if 1t
were not accompanied by profuse rains and
a degree Of humidity, softeuing its features
and sometimes instituting tropical uniform
ty. Fruits of delicate structure, including
most grapes, are decided sufferers from this
and it is permanent difficulty
IN the way of successful vine-cultivation in
al the district described.
The area embraced by this uniform eli
mate is very large, including all the eontl-
1ent east of the western boundary OF han
zas and Nebraska, wish the exception of
points Of local influence at the coast and
near the great lakes. Its whole surface may
be regarded as level and but little
elevated /: and the mountains which occur,
break in upon the climate only by the chang
IS caused by altitude. In consequence OF
his uniformity, meteoric oscillations of eve
" sort strike over the eastern United States,
IS over plane surface, and knowing what
hey are at few places, we may easily in
er what they have been at all. For In
stance. IF an extreme of cold occurs at st.
Louis, and two days after at Philadelphia,
We may be sure that the intervening points
nave been similarly affected This fact rem
iers the United States country particular
Y favorable to the study of climatology.
Climatic movements, disturbances and
,hanges of every sort move across the
country from west to east, as though they
we're incidental to the westerly winds pre-