Since these matters are of vital character in determining the salubrity of the climate of this State, we append the following table, both for the purpose of comparison with other places and definiteness concerning this.

This table gives a sweep of country from ocean to ocean, and exhibits the rain-fall of the three climatic divisions very faithfully. The great quantity precipitated at Astoria, in Oregon, is observed, where the OCEANIC climate prevails, with the mountain barriers limiting its extent inland; while, at Port Laramie, in Wyoming Territory, is an average representation of the whole interior district possessing the dry and elastic CONTINENTAL climate, in which lies the State of Minnesota. The other portions of the table give a more extended view of the VARIABLE climate, covering the eastern area as previously defined.

Average Annual Fall of Water (rain and snow, given in inches) for a Series of Years, as ascertained from Official Sources.

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PLACES. | WINTER.| SPRING.| SUMMER.| AUTUMN.| YEAR.
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Fort Snelling, Minn.| 1.92 | 6.61 | 10.92 | 5.98 | 25.43
Fort Ridgely, " | 4.11 | 7.29 | 9.29 | 4.83 | 25.52
Astoria, Oregon | —- | —- | —- | —- | 65.00
Fort Laramie, Wy. | 1.63 | 8.69 | 5.70 | 3.96 | 19.98
Fort Crawford, Wis. | 4.00 | 7.63 | 11.87 | 7.90 | 31.40
Fort Gratiot, Mich. | 5.75 | 8.02 | 9.99 | 8.86 | 32.62
New Harmony, Ind. | 12.29 | 10.51 | 12.79 | 7.26 | 42.85
Cincinnati, Ohio | 11.15 | 12.14 | 13.70 | 9.90 | 46.89
St. Louis, Missouri | 6.94 | 12.30 | 14.14 | 8.94 | 42.32
Chicago, Illinois | —- | —- | —- | —- | —-
Philadelphia, Penn. | 10.76 | 9.81 | 11.93 | 9.84 | 42.34
Lambertville, N.J. | 9.67 | 11.25 | 12.15 | 11.59 | 44.09
Fredonia, New York | 6.82 | 7.24 | 10.45 | 12.04 | 36.55
Utica, " " | 8.72 | 9.26 | 12.83 | 9.76 | 40.57
Albany, " " | 8.30 | 9.79 | 12.31 | 10.27 | 40.67
Brooklyn, " " | 9.83 | 11.75 | 11.43 | 10.35 | 43.36
Providence, R.I. | 9.44 | 10.45 | 9.66 | 10.50 | 40.05
New Bedford, Mass. | 10.42 | 10.67 | 9.18 | 10.76 | 41.03
Worcester, " | 11.85 | 10.89 | 10.71 | 13.51 | 46.96
Cambridge, " | 9.89 | 10.85 | 11.17 | 12.57 | 44.48
Hanover, N.H. | 9.10 | 9.90 | 11.40 | 10.50 | 41.00
Portland, Maine | 10.93 | 12.11 | 10.28 | 11.93 | 45.25
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The fall of snow has been in this statement reduced to a water basis, allowing, as is the usual custom, ten inches of snow for one of water. This calculation is not entirely reliable for all points; as, at the extreme southern snow-line, a less, while a larger amount is required for a more northerly district—say about eleven inches to make one of water in Minnesota. This would give a depth of about two and a half feet (snow) over the surface of the State for the entire winter months, while in Central New York—to which in mean annual temperature Minnesota parallels—the depth of all water falling, for the same season, would (in snow) amount to full five feet, or double that of the State under consideration.

FOOTNOTES:

[B] For further particulars of Florida climate, see A Winter in
Florida, by the author of this volume, published by Messrs. Wood &
Holbrook.

CHAPTER VI.

CLIMATE.—CONTINUED.

The atmosphere of Minnesota.—Its dryness.—Falling snow.—Equability of temperature.—Rain-fall for spring.—The constitutional character of the climate.—The lakes and rivers of the State.—The northeast winds.—Where the northeasters begin.—Their general direction and limit.—The atmospheric basin of Iowa.—Neglect of meteorology.—Its importance to the country.