and consequently in summer are cool and refreshing, and in winter, very cold. North winds are not very frequent, but are always cool or cold. North-easterly and easterly winds are frequent in all seasons, except the summer months, and are accompanied with a chil ling dampness, which occasions the most disagreeable sensations. A south-east wind, at least in the northern and middle regions, seldom or never fails to produce rain, in twelve hours; and often blows a tempest, but is of short duration, seldom exceeding twelve Hours. Nor are gales of wind from the south-east on the American coast, of great extent-they usually begin within a hundred miles of the coast, and seldom reach a hundred miles into the interior country--often not half the distance. A south wind is usually warm, and often attended with rain.

Of Sea Breezes. On all the coast of the United States, westward and southward of Cape Cod, a current of air from the ocean is cool and refreshing in sum. mer. To the northward of that cape, the sea breezes are attended with a fog, or a cool damp vapor, which is chilling to the human body and very disagreeable. In spring, these breezes prevail on all the coast from Cape Cod to Newfoundland: and are often accompanied with thick fogs, occasioned probably by a condension of the warm vapors from the gulf stream. fogs prevail till June or July, and are not more unpleasant to the feelings, than troublesome and dangerous to seamen. To the westward of Montauk Point, these fogs are far less common.

These

Of Storms. The most durable gales of wind are from the north-east. These, in spring and antumn, are usually accompanied with rain, and in winter with snow; but a long continued dry north-east wind sometimes occurs, especially in summer. This wind occurs but rarely in the summer months, in the northern and middle regions of the United States. It sweeps the Atlantic coast, but rarely penetrates beyond the mountains westward. It is observed, that a north-east storm begins at the south-west, and is felt in the southern parts of the United States, before it is in the northern.

Of Summer Rains. The rains of summer are of two kinds; durable rains from the east or south, or sudden and temporary showers. In some years the summer rains are mostly from the south or south-east, attended with a humid state of atmosphere, extremely relaxing to the human body. Such rains are not usually accompanied with thunder. Sudden showers collect in the west, in hot weather, or after two or three days of extreme heat; and usually between noon and evening. A black cloud is speedily formed, and driven by violent wind from the north-west or west accompanied with lived flashes of lightning and tremendous thunder, with torrents of rain or hail. The duration of these showers is from half an hour to three hours. Sometimes these showers are attended with a hurricane of wind, called a tornado, driving forward with a whirling motion, twisting off the trunks of the firmest trees,and levelling buildings, fences and plants in promiseuous destruction.

Of the Effects of these Showers. The summer showers, collecting over the mountainous parts of the country and accompanied with a current of air from the cool regions of the atmosphere, not only refresh_vegitation by a copious supply of water, but bring along a portion of pure and cool air, which is highly salabri ous and invigorating to the human body, when almost exhausted with extreme heat: and for a day or two after the gust, the wind usually blows from the westward. At the same time the coolness of the air is inereased and continued by the rapid evaporation which follows a shower; the heat of the earth combining with the water, being carried off in an invisible form.

That

Of the Weather Westward of the Mountains part of the United States which lies westward of the high lands, which divide the streams falling into the Atlantic, from those which fall into the lakes and the Mississippi, has a more temperate climate than the same latitudes on the Atlantic, and is less subject to violent storms. It is remarkable also that showers collect more suddenly over that part of the countrythe rain does not begin gradually, but almost instantly

pours down a torrent of water-and all at once it ceases, as in the twinkling of an eye. Snow falls frequently and without wind. Thunder also is les frequent in some parts of the interior country, than it is eastward of the mountains.

Of the Climate in Regard to Health. The northern Atlantic region of the United States, being mostly dry, hilly land, is favoured with a pure air and good water, and distinguished by the salubrity of its climate. In a very few places, low and marshy lands are found to produce autumnal diseases. The mountainous parts of the middle and southern regions, are, as in all parts of the globe, healthy. From the Hudson southward, the flat lands along the Atlantic and by the sides of rivers, are infested with autumnal fevers. In the northern region, one half the children born live to be nineteen years old one seventh live to the age of seventy, and one thirteenth, to eighty. The annual deaths amount only to one in seventy or seventy-five of all the inhabitants living.

Of the Diseases of the United States The ordinary diseases of the United States are the same as those which invade mankind in all similar climates. The usual epidemics are hooping cough, meazles, influenza, scarlet fever, with some milder eruptive diseases. These diseases are periodical, though the periods are not exactly uniform. The autumnal diseases are chiefly dysentery and bilions fevers of all grades, from slight intermittents to the malignant fever, which is denominated pestilence. The dysentery appears, in seattered cases, every year; but in some autumns becomes epidemic with great mortality. It however never inVades large cities with such general mortality, as it does particular parts of the country. The malignant bilious fever occurs occasionally, but chiefly in large towns on the sea coast, or on rivers, or near lakes and stagnant water.

Of Chronic Diseases. In the northern region of the United States, and especially on the sea shore, the cousumption is the most general and fatal chronic complaint; carrying off in some places, a fifth, or even a

fourth of the inhabitants. In the middle region, it is prevalent, hut in a less degree; and in the southern, is still less destructive. Rheumatic complaints, gout and hypochondriac affections are common. In the country west of the mountains, between the Ohio and the lakes, the goiter, or swelling upon the throat, is very prevalent, among the whites, but not among the natives.

SECTION XVI.

VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS.

Of the Native Trees of the United States.

IN the variety, size and beauty of its forest trees, no country can exceed the United States. The kinds of trees found in every part of our country are, oak, pine, maple, beech, ash, spruce, fir, hemlock, hickory, elm, chesnut, willow, poplar, cedar, locust, sassafras, laurel, birch, cherry, bass-wood, butternut, hornbeam, bay, button-wood, elder, dogwood. Of several of these kinds there are many varieties.

of Trees peculiar to particular Regions The black walnut is indigenous, in the country southward of the Hudson, and not eastward; but when transplanted, it grows well in New-England. The persimmon, chineopin, catalpa, papaw, plane-tree, magnolia, aloe cypress, paccan, pimento, and some others, are found solely or chiefly in the middle, southern and western regions of the United States. The live oak, the best of timber for ships, is a native of the southern regions, chiefly of the islands on the coast of South Carolina and Georgia, and of the Missisippi territory.

Of Shrubs and wild Fruit Trees. The crab-apple is found in all parts of the United States, and in the southern and middle regions, cider is made of its fruit. Most parts of this country abound with wild cherries, earrants, grapes, strawberries, huckleberries, blackber

ries, dewberries, raspberries, barberries, mulberries, bayberries, juniperberries, filberts, hazle-nuts, bilberries, plumbs, goosberries, sumac, honey-suckle, myrtle, cranberries. The latter shrub is peculiar to America, and furnishes our tables with one of the richest sauces.

Of Foreign Trees and Fruits cultivated in America. Most of the fruit trees cultivated on the eastern contineut thrive well in the United States. Among these are apples, peaches, pears, quinces. cherries, plums, apricots, nectarines, gooseberries, raspberries, melons, oranges, lemons, figs, pomegranates, olives, and almonds. Apples thrive best in the middle and northern regions-peaches and melons, in the southern. The peach is found in a good degree of perfection as far north as Boston, but farther northward, degenerates and is cultivated with difficulty. Oranges, lemons, pomegranates, almonds, figs, and olives, grow as far north as Virginia, but are subject to be killed by the frosts of winter-In South Carolina and Georgia, they are cultivated with success.

Of Garden Vegetables. Every species of vegetable, cultivated for the use of the table in the old world, thrives well in America. Of these we have peas, beans, cabbages, cauliflowers, spinnage, celery, lettuce, aspar agus, turnips, onions, beets, raddishes, carrots, parsnips, cucumbers, and a variety of other kinds, used in cookery and for medicinal purposes. The sugar cane has been lately introduced into the Misissippi territory, and is cultivated with success, affording sugar of the best quality.

of Plants Indigenous in America. Maize, potatoes, tobacco, pumpkins, squashes, hops, and ginseng, are na tive productions of America Of these the three first are of the most use. Maize, commonly called indian corn, is one of the most extensively useful grains kuown in the world; as it thrives through a range of nearly one hundred degrees of latitude, or fifty degrees on each side of the equator, and is one of the most nourishing articles of food for man and beast. In the Southern parts of the United States, this plant grows