Prof. Schouw on the Climate and Vegetation of Italy. 149 



Carnia, and many other portions of the Apennines and Alps, 

 which he had no opportunity of seeing during his first jour- 

 ney. His collection of meteorological observations was consi- 

 derably augmented by his second journey. 



It is the results of these different journeys which the author 

 proposes to include in a work on the climate and vegetation 

 of Italy, of which the first volume is at present published. 

 But it is only by comparing different countries that the cli- 

 mate ' and vegetation can appear in their true light : it is 

 the comparative method which has rendered the physical re- 

 searches of our times so superior to those of former periods, 

 both in precision and in compass. The climate and the vege- 

 tation of Italy will not be discussed in an insulated manner, 

 but along with the climate of the rest of Europe, and of Nor- 

 thern Africa. The work will be composed of two chief parts, 

 the one devoted to the climate, and the other to the vegeta- 

 tion, each forming an independent treatise. The present vo- 

 lume contains an account of the temperature and the rain ; 

 and, as the configuration of the surface exercises an essential 

 influence on the climate, it has been premised by an orographi- 

 cal summary ; although it must be mentioned that this sum- 

 mary, and the illustrative map, are not so complete as they 

 ought to be for the special orography of Italy. The second 

 volume will contain the other elements of climate, and a com- 

 parison of the diff*erent years relatively to their meteorologi- 

 cal character^ which will lead me to treat of the interesting 

 question of the variations attributed to climate. The third 

 volume will be entirely dedicated to Phyto-geography. 



Several years have elapsed since the author''s second journey ; 

 but the duties of his office, and occupations of quite a different 

 description, have retarded the publication of the work. The 

 observations collected in Italy were, however, calculated seve- 

 ral years ago, and partly printed in the supplement. Thus 

 the author has been very rarely able to take advantage of ob- 

 servations and writings of a more recent date. 



The author was perfectly aware of the great difficulties to 

 be encountered by a traveller in giving an account of the phy- 

 sical state of a country, and of the imperfections which neces- 

 sarily result. Much local and detailed information, within the 



