The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-07-21
Change Of Climate.

We are often asked the question
whether there is any evidence OF
change Of climate, or whether With all
the local variations in the seasons, the
climate of New England is not essen
italy the same rs it always has been.
We are not OF course prepared to answer
the question Authoritatiyely, md We
have generally been OF the opinion that
the climate has not changed materially
since the country was first settled by
white men. This opinion was based on
the fact that severe droughts, severely
hot summers, and severely cold winters
were known from the earliest days OF
the colony, and we have summers that
are rs oppressive and difficult to bear
Ms any that our foreiathers could have
sweat under in the last century.
Upon the general question OF q grad.
ual change Of climate, however, We are
now prepared to reply in the affirmative,
that is, that changes have taken place
and arc still taking place, that prove
beyond all doubt that local climates
may become quite different affecting
wide sections OF territory, or extensive
regions Of the surface Of our globe,
though it must be admitted that the
data for basing an accurate estimate OF
the extent OF these climatic changes are
comparatively recent, or Of modern ori.
gin. The means Of making accurate
meteorological observations, which alone
can settle such n point, arc of modern
origin, and anything that dates beyond
them becomes to greater or less ex-
tent, matter OF conjecture, and is in.
yolved in more or less doubt and I'M
certainty.
AS mn example OF well authenticated
climatic changes, we may mention that
Iceland and Eastern Greenland are very
much colder than they were five hun.
dred years ago. In Iceland the i'm
mense trees which used to be common
there have ceased to grow, though there
are abundant evidences Of the large
growth ut n former period, say in the
fourteenth century, while on the oppo-
site shores Of Greenland, several val
leys that were known to have been in
habited formerly, have become wholly
inaccessible in consequence OF having
been invaded by ice,
Moreover, accurate thermometric OBJ
servations have conclusively proved
that for a century, at least, the cold has
somewhat increased nj many places in
Germany, ut Ratisbon, Prague, Ham
burgh, etc, the month Of December
having become relatively much colder,
while January has become warmer than
ii was formerly. The mean tempera.
ture OF England has increased two de-
grees in the last hundred years; the in
Crease for tho single month Of January
being no less than three degrees, and
the general climate of France has be-
como milderand more equable, notwith-
standing certain changes in particular
localities, which indicate that their eli
mate is more severe than formerly. Ey.
idence OF this appears in the fact that
the vine is no longer successfully culti-
waited on the shores OF the Bristol Chan
mel, nor in Flanders, nor in Brittany.
In neither Of these localities can grapes
ripen now except in uncommonly favor.
able years, though history and chroni.
cles tell us they once produced exqui-
site wines.
So far us certain localities are con-
cerned, not only science, but material
facts, go to show great changes of eli
mate, for the titles Of property running
back TO 1861, state that formerly the
vintage took place OF the height OF two
thousand feet on the sides of the noun
tains of Viyarais, where now the vine
no longer bears fruit. In one section
of France, the culture Of the olive tree
has retrograded or moved from nine to
ten miles to the south in hundred
years, and the sugar cane has diSap-
peared from Provence, where it was
once acclimated.