VEGETABLE AND ANIMAL LIFE. 155 ©

 

For the Upper Mississippi Valley, threatening weather
and rain, severe local storms, winds shifting to west and
north, followed by higher barometer and colder weather.

For the Missouri Valley, rain or snow, generally colder,
cloudy followed by partly cloudy weather, dangerous local
storms in southern portion, winds shifting to north and
west, with colder weather and higher barometer.

Light rains are indicated to-morrow for New England.
and the Middle Atlantic States with warmer weather.
Clearing and fair weather is indicated for the West Gulf
States and thence northward over the Upper Mississippi,
Missouri Valleys, and Lake Region.

The Ohio River, Cumberland, Tennessee, and the Mis-
sissippi at St. Louis, Cairo, Vicksburg, and New Orleans,
will continue slowly falling.

Cautionary signals continue at Milwaukee, Chicago,
Grand Haven, Detroit, Toledo, Sandusky, Cleveland, Erie,
and Buffalo.

The lower map shows the actual conditions of the weather
on the following day. The area of low barometer, or storm-
centre, has moved eastward and the storm is now central
over Western Pennsylvania and the adjoining States. The
actual condition of the weather, showing the correctness
of the predictions, will be seen from an inspection of the
following synopsis issued by the bureau:

Synopsis for the Past Twenty-four Hours.

The severe storm which was central in the Lower Mis-

souri Valley yesterday morning moved directly east,
' causing dangerous gales on the Lakes and general rains
in the Southern States, the Middle States, and the Ohio
Valley. Snow and rain continue in the Lake Region this
morning. Thredtening weather is reported from New
England, and colder, fair weather from the north-west and
south-west. The temperature has fallen about 10° in the
Mississippi, Ohio, and Missouri Valleys and Upper Lake
Region, with north to west winds; and it hasrisen slightly
in the districts on the Atlantic coast, with north-easterly
winds in New England and on the Middle Atlantic coast,
and south-westerly winds in the South Atlantic States.
The barometer is unusually low near Pittsburg, and it is
highest in Nebraska. A light norther prevails on the
Texas coast.

——08a400——_.

CHAPTER III.
Vegetable and Animal Life. -

402. Vegetation.—The distribution of vegeta-
tion throughout the United States is in accord-
ance with the distribution of the rainfall. Four
characteristic plant regions are found : the Forest,
- the Prairie, the Steppe, and the Pacific Region.

403. The Forest Region.—The chief requisite
of forest growth—an abundant rainfall, well dis-
tributed throughout the year or during the time
the trees are growing—is found especially in the
country east of the Mississippi, where luxuriant
forests exist, unless removed by civilization.

The pine, spruce, hemlock, fir, larch, juniper,

and deciduous trees, such as the beech, maple,
birch, alder, and poplar, are common in the
North.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fig. 130. Scene in a Pine Woods,

Deciduous trees characterize the middle por-
tions of the forest region. In the number and
variety of its species, the oak is peculiarly cha-
racteristic of the middle part of the forest region.

In the southern portion of the forest region
evergreen trees, such as the live-oak and the
magnolia, are characteristic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Fig. 181, Rafting.

The forests have been removed, over extended
areas, from all three parts of the forest region.