ates was dry, New Mexico was unusually wet; and the North-western
States, on the same curving line of the counter-trade, were not affected
by the drouth.

Extract from a letter written by Governor Merriweather, to Mr. Bennett, in
answer to a circular, published in the "New York Herald," and dated

"SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO, Oct. 25th, 1854.

"More rain has fallen during the last six months, within this
territory, than ever was known to have fallen in the same length of
time, in this usually dry climate. Generally, little or no crops have
been produced without irrigation; but this season some good crops
have been produced without any artificial watering."

We have seen that there was an apparent connection between the remarkable
volcanic action, exerted beneath the western continents during the second
decade of this century, and the remarkable coldness of that decade. And
it is easy to see that the comparative absence of volcanic action from
immediately beneath the Old World, and its presence in great excess
beneath the New, may disturb the regular action of terrestrial magnetism
above it in the earth's-crust here, and affect seasons, diatheses, and
health unfavorably; while from its absence they may be favorably affected
there. I have some general views in relation to this, but they are
necessarily speculative, for the data are few, and I reserve them.

I am, however, induced to believe that the transit of the atmospheric
machinery is greater over some portions of the northern hemisphere, in
some seasons, than others. The most natural explanation of the unusual
contrast between the drouth of the Eastern States, and the wet of the
Territories, during the last summer, is, that the concentrated
counter-trade was carried west, by some irregular magnetic action in the
South Atlantic or West Indies. But there was much evidence that the
northern extension of the atmospheric machinery was greater than usual.
The transit began _early_--it was evidently _rapid_; the rains of May fell
in April, and the spring was wet; _summer set in earlier_--all the
appearances then were unusually tropical--the polar belts of condensation
descended upon us, but they were feeble, as they doubtless become, when
they reach the tropics, and did not precipitate; the summer continued full
twenty days later--no rain falling till about the 10th of September. The
season throughout was excessive, but otherwise regular. Spring c