New-York tribune., 1908-06-21
A HEALTHFUL REGION
SO SAYS DIR. ". II. ROSS.
Has Studied Climatic Conditions on
Long Island for Many Years.

The healthfulnsss Of Long Island is not widely
known in medical circles. according to DIR. William
H Ross OF Brentwood. Long Island who has unads
careful study OF the climatic features OF the ISL
and He says in article about climatic condi-
tions written by him that the opinion prevails IN
medical circles that the island abounds In marshes
and therefore Is greatly troubled with mosquitoes
But exactly opposite conditions exist. the island
Is for the greater part dry. sandy plain. rising
gently from the South Shore to the North. and
terminating in a blun. with beautiful bits OF
scenery on land and magnificent views at sea-"
Through the centre OF the island is range OF hills
from 100 to 400 feet in height. Between the bluff
and the central hills Is elevated plain OF fertile
SOIL supporting vigorous growth OF trees South
of the central hills. soping to the water. With a
fall OF about twenty feet a mile. is an almost un-
broken sandy pain covered by pine forest Along
the South Shore lies the Great South Bay. from
two to FIVE miles wide and one hundred miles long.
and separated from the ocean by sandy bar aver
aging one-half mile wide There are two navigabe
rivers on the island and number OF small inland
lakes of fresh water especially IN the eastern haf
and of these lakes have visible inlet or OUT
let.
Dr. Ross also says:
Long Island lies about twenty miles OF the New
Island sound II is approxfrnateIy Is miles vide
and 10 miles long containing nearly 1ttooo acres
II cag be Shown by S stuy Of its geology that the
island is made up mainly Of sand and gravel and
S S sno1f to sotb and ifs frai1a ia the same
direCtion. The character OF the soil modiAes the
cliuate in respect TO fogs- They are more IRE
qlent over wet clay soil than over dry. vel el
and Old Greenwich Village. IN New YORK. was
Epdemics that attacked the old city one hundresd s
has always been ATTRIBUTED 10 the Isct th4e w
underlying soil TO depth of nifty feet or more Is
pure sand and provides excellent drainage: Ire
same condition prevails on Long Island. with the
difference that instead Of the sand being fifty feet
deep it is several hundred feet deep
The water OF me i$and @ so Is very f & pure ~ i
and inorganic material than wells of other regions
not having sand and gravel soil There are a
and ma aons the shorss and IN the Nsssqogs
valley. with temperature of about - degrees tne
year around. and even IN the h1snlsnds ana IN tls
shady forests. are numerous ponds, ali OF tneTll
sending forth streams OF clear cold. sparkling
The existence of the fresh water lakes referred
fact that a basin has been formed in the clay
stratum by glacial folding. These necessarily al
fren the ground water. and remain pure because
of the water fltering through the sand -
serrattons of temperature. wind direction, precip-
tation. relative humidIty character OF me dsy as
He has made the following deductions from his
observations: The mean summer temperature OF
peratura is 50 degrees. The mean yearly ternpera-
tpee t5s ss rs 2S T5rat2 Of the entire state
is 45 degrees. Of Nantucket ~ degrees, New York
The annual range Of temperature OF Long Island
is 20 Sagrsps while the annual range for the whole
country is from 81 degrees to u degrees II -
least at the eastern and increases toward the west
ern end The average temperature OF the island
for the month OF July is degrees warmer than
Nantucket. and for January degrees cooler; olt
per cent in favor Of Long Island. and the differ
ence in the thermometric readings IS practle@a1Iy @
ebIiterated because OF the dryer atmosphere me
temperature of Suffolk County. the eastern part
~ 9ban I New York City The Temperatures Of this
part Of the Island in sumner % is , aI39s5 & tae See
while It's Temperature IN winter is about that o
sun SgfolE * Se YORK gate The differences is IN
doubtedly due 70 the modifying effect Of the ocean
g5es fbs smner mga When the Winds are from the south
Or soqthsst ihe sasfTn cts and bT 5a ie1e
the Gulf Stream. which having a yearly {enpera-
heat Sufficient to modify the climate -
one noticeable feature OF climatic eonditions on
amo71nting TO about three weeks The change
from one 70 another is gradual a vsiaoi9 LaDt1 +
change from season to season the less injurious IS
the effect The time OF tne ne nrsL Z Hlig +l o % +rs
western end of the island
Another striking feature or me s5ecav G os S
+He nine regions II is lowest in winter and sprfng
during The cold % Gnfs fn IS due ei to ol the or
moderate heat and cold OF the island ana 10 ths
Probablv the most valuable feature OF any ell
mate is the amount of sunshine It's general TONIC
loads increased vitality. The amount
~ snsbine on TatsE Island is greatest in the pine
forest region inSShe eastern end and southern
sbora The averaza' number Of clear days is sew
enty-two more than New York City. ninety more
than Nantucket and one hundred ana t%sIllE more @
days on which the shines all day or part or
air tine eastern half of the island has average
of three hundred days. forty more than Auanttc
Sitv sixty more than Narragansett Pier. one b2n-
less than Denver and thirty less than Phcenlx:
island in a surprising way. ranks high among
other places having wide reputation in this feat
ure Of climate. which has perhaps lhe greatest III
huence of all upon the invalid