depth. About the last of June the difference was 13 degrees, thence it gradually diminished to nothing, at the middle of November, and from that time remained alike in both places*. These facts support the preceding reasoning, and they both lead to the natural conclusion that, in a country just beginning to be cultivated, and when but a small part of its surface is cleared and exposed to the sun, though the temperature in the day time may be sufficiently high in the open ground for all purposes of vegetation, even of exotic plants, yet, in the absence of the sun, the lower temperature of the extensive forest which surrounds the small spot of cleared land, will rapidly absorb all the excess of caloric from the atmosphere of the latter, as fast as it is received from the earth; and thus the mean temperature of the whole day will not be sensibly increased by the clearing of the forest during some years of the first beginnings of the settlement of the country, nor until the clearing shall extend over considerable portions of its surface. From these observations, together with those respecting the cultivation of plants in the early part of the settlement of the country, from seed brought from a climate of higher summer temperature, we should expect to find that, in the earlier years of the settlement of every part of Maine, Indian corn and other late plants, do not in general ripen so well as they do after some years of cultivation, and a more extended clearing of the country; and such appears to be the fact; at least it is so as far as many years residence among the new settlements, and some personal observation, has afforded means to judge. The experience and observation of others, has in some instances also, verified the fact; but whether universally is not known. It results also that as the country becomes settled and cleared, the climate will become more and more favorable to the production of all those plants which are now cultivated, or which can rationally be desired. Correct observations of the actual temperature for a regular * Hist. of Vermont, p. 60. course of time are not known to have been made and preserved but at few places in the State. The meteorological journal of Professor Cleaveland at Brunswick, will furnish all that can be desired on the subject as it respects that vicinity; and from the local position of that place, this, with an abstract of observations made at Portland, will serve as a sufficiently correct index to the temperature of the southern part of the State. The northern part being yet chiefly uninhabited, no account of that region will be expected. In the central part no observations are known to have been recorded to any considerable extent, except for a few years at Williamsburgh. These therefore, so far as they may be depended on, must necessarily, for the present, be adopted as indicating the character of the climate of that region. A comparison of the observations at these two places in Maine, with simultaneous observations at New-Haven, in Connecticut, and Williamstown, in Massachusetts, may perhaps afford a tolerably just estimate of the differences between the climate of Maine and that of the rest of New-England. TABLE I. Abstract of Meteorological observations, at Brunswick, Maine, Lat. 43° 53′ 0′′ Lon. 69° 55' 1" for 8 years, from 1820 to Jan. 17.148.5 Mar. 31.6 60.0 8.0 29.85 0.89 NW.NE 12.7 30.0-25.5 29.741.14 NW.NE Feb. 27.3 54.0-14.0 29.821.51 NW.NE | 27.360.0 8.5 29.92 1.28 NW. A 31.654.0 19.5 29.82 1.06 NW. 0.0 29.70 1.77 NW.NE 6.5 29.80 1.16 Nw.s w Apr. 41.174.5 41.663.0 + 5.5 29.86 1.29 NW.NE May. 51.8 76.5 36.5 29.90 1.14 NE.NW|57.4 78.0 36.5 29.74 .74 Nw.sw June. 63.2 91.5 49.5 29.78 0.88 Nw.s E66.9 89.0 53.5 29.70 .36 Nw.sw July. 77.1 95.5 63.5 29.85 1.08 Nw.sw 69.892.5 51.0 29.83 1.76 NW. W Aug. 61.9 88.5 51.5 29.77.10 Nw.sw|69.0 93.0 52.0 29.75 1.29 Nw.sw Sept. 57.9 89.5 36.5 29.88 1.74 Nw.sw 55.5 79.0 32.5 29.93 1.49 NW.SW Oct. 47.7,79.0 25.0 29.76 1.32 NW.NE 44.6 69.0 18.0 29.79 1.45 NW.NE Nov. 34.053.5 6.5 29.72 1.24 NW.NE 35.655.0 15.5 29.76 2.02 NE.NW Dec. 20.3 44.0-22.0 29.68 1.10 NW.NE 23.143.0-6.5 29.87 1.28 NEN.W total 40.1 71.2 20.6 29.81 1.19 42.3 67.1 18.8 29.79 1.31 means. Winds. MONTHS. Jan. 14.8 48.0-25.0 29.69 1.37 n.w.s.w 16.0 45.5-22.0 29.82 1.65 n.w.n.e. Feb. 21.3 46.5-11.0 29.74 1.39 n.w.n.e 14.6 36.0-20.0 29.90 1.36 n.w.n.e. 71.1 93.0 68.8 90.0 29.0 29.73 .68 s.w.n.e. 32.0 29.91 1.07 s.w.n.e. 17.0 29.95 1.08 n.w.n.e 31.252.0 1.5 29.97 .97 n.e.n.w. 1.5 29.97 1.26 n.w.s.w 29.87|1.19 September 22, Frost-Oct 25, Snow. minimum maximum means. MONTHS. Jan. 22.0 39.0-4.0 29.73 1.25 n.e.s.w20.2 40.0-14.0 29.95 1.65 n.w..w Feb. 21.6 47.5-20.0 29.63 1.43 n.w.sw|22.047.0 6.0 29.99 1.12 n.e.n.w Mar. 31.251.0 7.0 29.89 1.18 n.w.n.e 37.658.0 +20.0 29.77.95 n.w.ne 26.0 29.73.87 n.e.s.w 51.776.0 23.0 29.68 1.40 n.w.sw 27.0 29.70 1.26 n.w.s.e 59.8 78.0 38.0 29.84 .80 n.w.sw 47.0 29.71 .89 s.w.s.e. 68.4 97.0 53.0 29.73.60 n.w.sw 1.60 s.w.nw | 73.9 96.6 61.029.72 .53 n.w.sw .90 s.w.nw 67.390.0 51.0 29.87 .89 n.w.sw .57 s.w.nw | 55.0 70.0 35.029.89 .84 n.w.sw .60 s. w. e. 50.8 86.0 22.0 29.94 1.09 n.w.n.e 8.0 29.97 1.07 n.w. sw Apr. 44.258.0 Dec. 28.645.0 8.0 29.84 1.37 n.w.n.e 27.2 50.0-15.0 29.82 1.10 n.w.n.e Jan. 21.8 49.0-29.5 29.70 1.39 n.w.n.e 18.142.0-12.5 29.92|1.51 n.w.se Feb. 24.0 46.0-27.5 29.97 1.44 n.w.n.e Mar. 31.6 50.0 +10.0 29.80 1.42 n.w.n.e April 42.6,59.0 15.0 29.71 1.10 n.w.s w May 49.8 94.0 30.0 29.83 .80 n.w.s w June 69.0 92.5 52.0 29.86 .67 n.w.s w July 75.198.0 60.0 29.90 .59 s w.n.w Aug. 71.0,84.0 54.0 29.97 .51 s.e. s.w 68.196.0 36.5 29.84 1.16 s w.n.w60.4 82.0 23.5 29.88 1.23 n.w.s.w 49.2 72.0 12.0 29.80 1.14 n.w.s.w 32.7 50.0 Sep. 61.977.0 23.1 48.0 -12.5 29.79 1.46 n. w.s w 35.8 60.0 00.0 30.07 1.44 n.w.sw 50.6 76.0 +21.0 29.70 1.40 n.w.s w 54.7 83.0 33.0 29.79.86 s w.n.w 64.3 86.0 48.0 29.96 .68 s w.n.w 70.3 89.0 59.0 30.16 .86 s w.n.w 50.0 30.03 .59 n.w.s w 46.0'30.04 .80 s w.n.w 26.0 29.90 1.00 n.w.s w 16.0 29.76 1.09 n.w.s w Dec. 25.6 58.0-16.0 29.81 1.10 n.w.s.w23.2 48.0-11.030.04 1.40 n.w.n.e Abstract of Meteorological observations, at Williamsburgh, Maine, Lat. 45o 15' Lon. 68o 59'-elevation above the level of the sea 1627 feet. For the years 1820, 1826 and 1827. Extremes 1820-21. Mean Temperature. Prevailing Winds. Weather- No. days. No. of days. MONTHS. 6 8 5 50.0 69.0 55 0 19 3 2 5 62.0 76.0 68.5 9 2 416 52.0 65.5 77.0 61.0 72.0 59.0 14 31.0 55.0 81.0 40.0 63.0 47.0 15 Oct. 73.0 22.044.0.65.0 32.0 49.0 38.0 8 Nov 45.0 4.0 30.0 43.0 7.0 33.0 25.0 11 10 The lowest temperature at which corn (grain) will vegetate is supposed to be 40o. Mean temperature of a good vegetating season 56. The first day in which the mean temperature was about 40° was 12th April-first mean above 56' was 7th May. The means were every day above 56° from 1st June to 19th Sept. descended between 40° 18th October. Extreme season of vegetation frora 12th April to 18th October. Extreme of vigorous uninterrupted do 1st June to 19th Sept. *See Appendix A. 911 3 8 9 7 5 71 265 2 9 18 1 6 1 3 19 1 5 19 1 71 26 23 51 12 1719 116 28 Frost 26th Sept. Snow 7th Nov. Extreme season of vegetation from 25th March to 230 Oct. Extreme season of uninterrupted vigorous vegetation, from 31st May to 16th Sept. minimum. maximum) MONTHS. |