The Dillon tribune., 1886-11-26

the lofty summit Of which the rcd man inn
| AGNES he can see over into the happy.
hunting.ground. In the southeastern part
Of the territory are the Beat. tooth, the
Pryor, the Wolf, and the Powder river
ranges, with other smaller clusters. These
mountain chains have much to do in shap-
ing the course Of rivers, and giving direc-
ton to the air currents, protecting some
localities, exposing others, thus affecting
the climate more than would at first be ex-
pected.
OF course in the high mountains the
snow gets very deep and the weather in.
tensey cold in winter, and in some valleys
| that are inhabited the thermometer will
drop for day or two to 20 deg, 40 deg,
and once in great while (as it has at Butte)
to 81 deg. below zero; but its average
temperature, both in winter and summer,
shows it to be but little colder than in Mis-.
souri,. The average annual temperature
Of Helena is about At deg, and Deer Lodge
40 deg, and perhaps the lower valleys
would be ~ or IS deg. There have been
as many as $50 perfectly clear days in one
year, and reports show an average Of over
275 fair days during period Of six years.
The atmosphere is SO dry and pure that one
does not feel the cold as in damp regions
farther east and south. Men and women
have come directly from Mississippi in
nidwinter and did not complain Of the
cold any more than where they came from
in the sunny south.
The intense, dry cold weather Of the
regular winter months is not so unpleas.
ant as the backward spring. We often
have warm spell in February which con-
tinues we'll into March. The ice goes out
Of the streams and the ground thaws sutfi.
GENTLY for the farmers to sow their wheat.
When such is the case April is "squaly,"
and the weather undesirable and more or
less unsettled till the last Of May. Crops
are usually put out during these two
months. The early and energetic plowmen
frequently have use for their overcoa,s
and gloves. OF course the season varies
here as in all other sections. have seen
the mercury 80 degrees below zero in No.
vember, have ridden forty miles a day on
horseback when it was 20 to 40 miles be.
low zero all day; have worked hard shov-
cling snow to get from the Boulder TO
Helena on the first day Of June, and have
seen blooming gardens and waving grain
fields covered with snow the first of July.
In June, the finest month during the
year, the atmosphere is clear, pure and
bal'ny, the valleys, hills, and mountain
sides are clothed in the most gorgeous
robes, the roses and flowers are all in full
bloom, and all nature rejoices in her own
lov~liness. There is more or less rain in
the spring Of year, especially about the first
Of June, to give the crops start. Then
We have occasional showers during the
summer, followed by quite wet spell in
September.
The climate is healthy, and has proven
most beneficial to persons with weak lungs,
if they were not too far gone when they
came. have known many who claimed
that their lives we're prolonged, and others
permanently cured, by coming to Montana.
Such thing as malaria is unknown. The
air is pure and dry and wonderfully exhil-
arating. It acts as an excellent tonic to
persons coming from lower attitudes east
or south.
The streams are usually lined with vii.
low, alder, quaking aspen, birch, balm Of
gilead or cottonwood, with an underground
Of wild cherry, service berry, buffalo berry,
gooseberry, wild currant, and perhaps
few other species Of wild haws. The large
timber consists principally Of pine, fir, and
tamarack, and is found mostly in the deep
canyons or on the steep mountain sides,
though now and then there is quite u
sprinkling along the streams.
OUR GLENDALE LETTER.