16 AUSTRALIAN RAINFALL. [Nov. 



The birch and moiintiiin ash (Sorbus occuparia) are the only foli- 

 ferous trees which thrive on the heatlis. The firs, with the white 

 spruce (Picea alba), Norway spruce (Pieea excelsa), and silver fir (Abies 

 peclinata), as a rule are long in passing the stationary period. The 

 pines best withstand sourness, the mountain spruce (I'inus nioutaua) 

 being little affected by it ; and they are employed along with the 

 firs to cover the ground quickly, so that the liuather may be choked. 

 A great many mountain firs are required for every one and three- 

 (juarter acres of land to cover it from the fifth to the seventh year. 

 As a rule, the Society has employed of late years 50 per cent, of firs 

 ;ind 50 per cent, of mountain pines, or about 3000 plants of each 

 sort to every acre and three-quarters. Latterly the Society has- 

 recommended begmning with a cheap cultivation of the mountain 

 pine, and onl}^ setting the firs amongst the pines when the latter 

 are about an ell in height. 



Sharp night frosts, extending through April till the beginning of 

 June, are more injurious to plantations than the west wind. 



A USTRALIAN BAINFA L L. 



WITH the Melbourne weekly paper, Tlw Laalm-, of August 30 

 we have received a map indicating the amount of rain 

 which fell in south-eastern Australia durmg the year 1883. The 

 regions included are New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, 

 and Tasmania, with portions of Queensland and "West Australia. 

 The rainfall is shown by graduated tints of blue, the deepest 

 indicating a fall of over 50 inches, and the lightest a fall of under 

 10 inches, five intermediate shades denoting the quantities from 10 

 inches to 50 inches. The map was constructed under the direction 

 of Mr. Ellery, Government Astronomer, Victoria, and The Leader 

 was permitted to publish a copy. It is somewhat painful to 

 notice the large area occupied by the faintest tint, showing a fall 

 of under 1 inches ; but it is a characteristic feature of the 

 country that the amount of rain decreases in proportion to the 

 distance from the coast. Thus, in 1883, nearly the whole of South 

 Australia and the north-western portion of New South Wales had 

 less than 10 inches: while on the eastern coast and in large parts 

 of Victoria the rainfall was heavy, going up to 40 inches and 50 

 inches. The greater part of Tasmania, too, received a large amount 

 of rain. It is obvious that a map of this kind affords much 

 information in the most striking way. Great attention is paid in 

 Australia to the collection of accurate meteorological statistics, and 

 the series of rain maps as they accumulate will manifestly be most 

 valuable for purposes of comparison. — Tlic Fichl. 



