iSoo. Obfervatlons on the Crimate of EaJ}-Lothian. 6^ 



eaft, which they then encounter, they are fent ofF in a trian- 

 gular direftion, one part being carried towards the Frith of 

 Forth, and the remainder to the Lammermuir hills ; along 

 which they are carried till they reach Dunglafs, where they 

 empty themfelves into the fea. 



The figure of the eaft coaft of Scotland contributes greatly 

 to the uniformity of the fea-breeze in the county of Ealt- 

 Lothian. The high land of St Abb's Head, on the fouth, and 

 the Fife hills, on the north, form a bay of great extent; into 

 which the wind, from the eaft, enters, as into the mouth of a 

 large funnel. This current of air, in its progrefs weftvvard, 

 is gradually confined by the contraction of the country ; and, 

 when it reaches the coaft of Eaft-Lothian, is divided into 

 two ftreams by North-Berwick Law, and the ridge that runs 

 weft from it; one of which takes the direction of the Frith of 

 Forth, and the other blows over that extenfive plain which 

 forms the eaft part of the county. 



As the current proceeds to the weftward, it is gradually 

 confined within a narrow fpace: in that way, its velocity is fo 

 much increafed, that when it encounters the clouds from the 

 weft, it has acquired a degree of ftrength fufficient to alter 

 their direction, and prevent their further progrefs towards 

 the eaft. Owing to this caufe, very little rain falls in the eait 

 part of the county during the Summer months; a circum- 

 llance that has often tantalized the farmers in dry feafons, 

 when they had long expe£led rain with much anxiety, and 

 flattered themfelves with the near profpe£l of it ; a difappoint- 

 ment which, though it lias by fome been confidered a ferious 

 misfortune, deferves to be viewed in a different light. In 

 faft, the want of rain, to a certain degree, in that part of 

 the county, is produdlive of advantages that are not very 

 generally underftood ; as the fuperior quality of the grain 

 raifcd there, is owing, in a great meafure, if not entirely, to 

 its growing and coming to maturity under fuch favourable 

 circumftances. 



The fa£l is now well eftabliflied, of the beneficial efFe£l:s 

 of light and heat on vegetation ; as it is perfectly known, that 

 the colour and flavour, as well as the nutritive qualities of all 

 the productions of the earth, depend in a great meafure upon 

 the proportion of the light and heat tliey enjoy during their 

 growth. This is remarkably the cafe with fruits of alnioft 

 every defcription, and with fuch forts of grain as are fubjec- 

 ted to the procefs of fermentation in the different operations 

 of brewing, diftilling, he. 



It is only fince the invention of the faccharometer, an in- 

 ftrument now ufed for afcertaining the Ilrength and value 

 of worts, that tli.e public attention has been directed to this 



VOL. I. NO. I. E point. 



