*8* CHINESE HUSBANDRY, 



MONSOONS and WEATHER, 





The fouthern parts of China, within the 

 tropkk of Cancer ■, are fo much influenced in 

 their weather by the neighbouring monfoons, 

 as to have the year divided into two feafons, 

 the wet and the dry. When the fun in Sep- 

 tember goes to the fouthward of the equi- 

 noctial line, the air cools by degrees, and 

 Oclober and part of November are generally 

 wet, with fogs and drizzling rain. As foon 

 as the wind turns N. E. the fky clears up, and 

 becomes free from vapours till this wind again 

 is quite fettled. In the following months the 

 weather is more conitant, till the fun again re- 

 turns from his winter courfe, and palfes the 

 equator in March , going to the north. 



The heated air, which has by little and 

 little drawn up a quantity of moifture, returns 

 it again in heavy fhowers, which alvvay grow 

 ftronger in May and June, and are fo continual 

 that fometimes you .can count twelve or four- 

 teen rainy days one after- another. Thefe 

 very heavy rains are generally attended with 

 violent thunder and lightning, and hurricanes 

 from fouth to weft. Though the fun begins 



in 



