which course down the southern slope, fall into the valleys of the Chenango and Unadilla, and joining the Susquehanna, they reach the Atlantic through the Chesapeake bay. The Chittenango* creek is navigable for boats after receiving the waters of the Canaseraga and Cowasalon. The Canaseragat falls over a precipice near to Perryville, passes through the great marsh, and falls into the Chittenango, a few miles from Oneida lake. The Cowasalon is a tributary to the Canaseraga. Oneida creek rises in the town of Fenner; passes through Smithfield into Stockbridge. This stream presents a water power at the falls, worthy of more extended use and occupation of capital, than have yet been directed to it. Oneida lake forms one of the most interesting features in connexion with the olden route of travel as well as a present means of communication with other ports. It was once the great and only track or road way by water and land from the Hudson river to the Genesee Valley or to the Seneca lake. Batteaux ascended the Mohawk, or teams would follow its banks to Fort Stanwix, (Rome,) thence cross a portage to Fort Bull, on the head waters of Wood creek and following on the surface of this stream, would reach the bosom of Oneida lake. Here a choice of routes was presented, first: from the outlet of this lake to Seneca river, and along its course to the never freezing Seneca lake, whose high temperature never permits an icy barrier to the traveller's progress-or turning into the Oswego river, float into Lake Ontario, and reach, with ease, any point on its shores. On the western margin of the county is Cazenovia lake, a sheet of water known among the Indians as O-wah-ge-ha-gah, meaning the lake where yellow fish abound, or yellow perch lake; the elevation of this lake is 1,227 feet above tide water, and about 832 feet above the surface of Oneida lake. In length it does not exceed four miles, and is about four-fifths of a mile in breadth. The elevation of Madison county presented to the Canal Commissioners, favorable features for the construction of reservoirs, wherein to collect masses of water for the supply of the Erie Meaning "waters divide and run north." † Meaning "Big Elks horn." canal, if needed, in seasons of drought. Five of these reservoirs are wholly artificial, and four are natural ponds enlarged. The acres covered by water within the county may be estimated as follows: Erieville reservoir,...... 310 acres, Lord's pond,... 70 acres, Hatch's pond,.... Total, ...... Bradley brook,. 134 Kingsley brook,. 205 1.143 2,532 1,143 3,675 acres. The Erie canal, which passes through this county, occupies a length of line to Utica, known generally as "the long level," it is here about 473 feet above tide water; from this line of canal the surface descends gradually to Oneida lake, the surface of which is 56 feet below the canal. The land on the south side of the canal rises until reaching the ridge line, running east and west from near the southern end of Cazenovia lake; the waters of this lake being 742 feet above the village of Chittenango. The hills along this region of the county, rise from one to two hundred feet above the Cazenovia level; and the surface may be deemed hilly, not ribbed with elevated ranges, but marked by abrupt, short hills, with narrow and deep valleys. Climate. "While the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease." All are familiar with repeated evidences of this gracious promise; and its constant repetition, its familiar recurrence may, it is feared, induce indifference, if nothing worse, to the chain of dependencies between seed time and harvest, cold and heat, day and night. It may induce culpable neglect of an ordinance that man shall live by labor: and it may be that this indifference has long chained man to vice and degradation, because it kept him in the turbid streams of ignorance. At this day and hour what a deficiency of information exists as to the causes producing changes in the atmosphere, which changes affect temperature and humidity; currents of wind; electric influences, magnetic influences, and the admixture of invisible gases! Yet each and every cause, and every effect, has a direct and most important bearing on the daily avocations of mankind; to none more important than to the agriculturist, for on these changes, and on their effects, are dependent the development of plants and the maturity of fruits. The distribution of heat has within the last twenty years, claimed the attention of accurate observers, and the exertions now making, under the patronage of the general and State governments, to record meteorological observations, will in due time yield a comparative, climatology, from which important benefits will flow to the farming interests: indeed so important is this subject, that an attempt is to be made to establish a uniform system of meteorological observations upon land and sea, by an international ar rangement. In the present state of our knowledge, a few well established facts serve to guide to certain practical results. It is well known that elevation above the oceans's surface, will lower the temperature, and so also every parallel of latitude, as we proceed northward from the equatorial regions, finds a lower grade of mean temperature. These general principles are modified by so many disturbing causes, that long and patient comparative observation is necessary before we can venture to proclaim a clear and correct and reliable account of local climates. Mountain chains give direction to the winds or impede their course: extensive forests have a powerful influence by shade, evaporation and radiation: lakes, swamps and marshes are no less disturbing causes, affecting the mean temperature of localities: again-another general principle is, that moisture increases with temperature, and we know that moisture is an important element in every object of creation. With this fact before us, how vast is the promise that "day and night shall not cease;" for far beyond the common |