1?4 TRANSACTIONS OF THE PROVI^TCIAL 



ponding observations been niade at some spot iii the mountainous 

 region which forms so large a portion of this district, that like 

 results would have been obtained), upon the productions of the soil, 

 is illustrated by a list of some exotics growing in the open air in 

 the neighbourhood of Penzance, and, by several curious facts 

 and observations respecting the growth and maturity of vegetation 

 in general. The following extract from some remarks upon the 

 climate of Worcester and its vicinity, published in the Midland 

 Reporter, by Mr. Williams, of Pitmiiston, a gentleman whose 

 attention has long been given to Meteorology, shews that in this 

 respect also the climate of Worcester is not far behind. 



" Worcester> therefore, considering its distance from the sea, stands low ; thi* 

 joined with other local circumstances, orives the climate the character of mildness ; 

 and, in cloudy or showery weather, the distant hills seem to have an influence, for it 

 often happens in a south-westerly wind, which is the prevailing wind in the western 

 part of England ; that the Cotswold Hills, which run from north-east to south-west, 

 are covered with clouds, as is also the chain of high land in the western part Of 

 Herefordshire ; and from thence, to the Glee Hills, in Shropshire ; whilst the low 

 ^lain of Worcestershire has a clear sky. 



" The corn harvest is, in consequence, some days earlier in the vale part of 

 Worcestershire, than in the counties of Hereford or Gloucester. Again, when the 

 north-east wind blows in the winter or spring months, its temperature is, perhaps, a 

 little modified, in passing, in an oblique direction, across the German ocean, from 

 the Nase of Norway; for in severe winters, tender plants are less injured in the 

 neighbourhood of Worcester than about London. This was particularly instanced 

 about fifteen or twenty years ago, when the Arbutus Unedo was generally killed by 

 ihe frost in Middlesex, but escaped injury in Worcestershire." 



From these observations it would appear that with almost equal 

 advantages arising from the mildness of the winter months in the 

 vale of Severn, we have also the additional advantage of more 

 rapid vegetation in the spring, and greater maturity in the sum- 

 mer. 



•' The very low temperature of the summers," observes Dr. Forbes, "and the want 

 of sufficient sunshine, prevent many of the common fruits from attaining that rich- 

 ness of flavour, and security of full maturation, which they possess in the inland 

 counties. The vine very rarely ripens its fruit in the open air ; and the wall- 

 fruits, in general, are inferior, in point of flavour, to those of other counties, par- 

 ticularly the peach. 



" The apricot rarely produces any fruit, except in a few places, and then very 

 scantily. The green-gage plum is nearly equally unproductive. The walnut ana 

 common hazel-nut very seldom bear any fruit, although the latter is sufficiently pro- 

 ductive more to the eastward in the county. 



" A further consequence of the cool summers is the comparative lateness of the 

 harvests in this district, ITiis is, indeed, not very considerable, still it is sufficiently- 

 obvious. From an account now before me, of the date at which harvest commenced, 

 on a farm in the immediate vicinity of Penzance, for a period of seventeen years, 

 it appears that the average period of commencement is the 12th of August ; the 

 earliest is the 3rd, and the latest the 27th." 



The superiority of the valley of Worcestershire, in these respects, 

 is too manifest to require more than a mere notice, having been 

 already sufficiently illustrated in the remarks which we have had 

 occasion to offer. We cannot enter into details respecting the 

 Natural History of the several districts which have occupied 

 our attention, although much interesting information is given by 



