Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 06, No. 33, July, 1860 by Various
page 31 of 289 (10%)
the sky.

When mountains range themselves in lines of latitude across a
continent, they are barriers to civilization, to the mingling of
races, and the union of states. Thus, the Pyrenees have always kept
France and Spain apart, the Alps and the Apennines have secluded
Switzerland from its neighbors. In our own country, Providence has
placed our great mountains on a northern and southern axis; the
slopes, the direction, the prevailing winds, the facilities for
transportation and travel favor no one of our northern, southern, and
western States more than another.

Climate affects vegetation and the distribution of animal life, and
thus greatly modifies commerce.

Whatever of importance is accomplished in those countries where
climate has overpowered a race is best and principally done by the men
of the temperate zones, who carry with them perseverance, courage, and
ability, and maintain their ascendency, true to their type, while they
have their life to live.

But with our own eyes we may perceive how much climate affects
agriculture. The humidity or dryness of soils, their natural or
acquired heat or cold, the prevailing winds, the quantity of rain, the
snows, the dews, all affect the planter of the seed and the tiller of
the ground; they increase or diminish the aggregate of the products of
countries, the value of their imports and exports,--in short, their
material power, their resources, their influence, their very
existence.

DigitalOcean Referral Badge