Page:Maury's New Elements of Geography, 1907.djvu/99

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baskets of food and wine tied round their necks, to relieve travelers who are perishing in the bitter cold.

5. The Rivers of Europe are not so large as some of those in North and South America.

The Volga is the longest. It is noted for its fisheries. The Danube is navigable for the greatest distance. Thousands of vessels ply on its waters. The Rhine is the most famous for its scenery, its castled crags, and vine-clad banks.

6. Climate.—The most northern part of Europe lies near the North pole, and, like Alaska and Greenland, is very cold. But most of Europe is in the Temperate zone, and has a mild climate.

A branch of the olive tree with ripe fruit.

In the most southerly parts people do not even build chimneys to their houses, because it is rarely cold enough for fires. The climate is like that of Florida.

An old olive tree.

There is something very curious that we must notice about the climate of western Europe. There the winters are much warmer than they are on the opposite side of the ocean in North America. This is owing to the westerly sea-winds, which, blowing over the warm waters of the Atlantic ocean, carry warmth and moisture to the land. Hence, the winters are far milder than ours.

London is several hundred miles farther north than Quebec, in Canada. At Quebec there is sleighing for half the year; in London a sleigh-bell is never heard.

7. The productions of northern Europe are like those of the cold countries of North America. On the shores of the Arctic ocean, vegetation is scanty and trees are stunted. In the middle portion of the continent we find a rich agricultural region, like our great Mississippi valley. Wheat and rye are raised in immense quantities. Hemp is grown to make rope for Europe's fleets of ships, flax for the manufacture of linen, and beets for the making of sugar. The warm hillsides are covered with vines, and the best of wine is made.

Silkworm, cool and moth. (Half their natural size.)

Southern Europe is one of the greatest fruit-growing regions in the world. Grapes, oranges, lemons, figs, and olives grow in rich profusion. Vast fields are covered with mulberry-trees, on the leaves of which the silkworm is fed.

A pile of silk cocoons.