1869.] 



MATTHEW — ON PLANTS IN ACADIA. 



147 



Mr. G. Murdock, in a paper on the Meteorology of St. John, read 

 before this Society in 1863, pointed to this phenomenon as exhibited 

 in the vicinity of this city, in the following words : " In the wind 

 " columns it is observed that the increase and duration of 

 " southerly weather follows very nearly that of the temperature. 

 '• July is the month o^mnximum southerly weather, and December 

 " of minimum. From July to December, there is a constant 

 " diminution, and from this latter month to July again a steady 

 " increase." Of these southerly winds, the south-west is by far 

 the most frequent, and, if continuous, sooner or later brings upon 

 the southern coast of Acadia those fogs for which St. John is 

 unfortunately so notorious. That such is the case may be 

 inferred from the following table, compiled by the same accurate 

 and pains-taking observer, showing a mean of the number of 

 foggy days per month for the years 1861-1867 : — 



Table No. 2. 



May. June. July. Augt, 



Avrge. number of foggy days 3.3 4.2 6.2 6.7 

 Rainy days .... 10.0 6-8 9.9 7.6 

 Mean estimate cloudy days 6.4 6.4 6.3 6.2 



From this table we gather that, during each of the two hottest 

 months of the year, St. John is enveloped for nearly a week in 

 constant fog; and this misty curtain, by its presence, not only 

 excludes the direct rays of the sun, but by its coolness lowers 

 perceptibly our summer temperature. 



During the months of July and August, there is also a large 

 rainfall, and if we add to the rainy and foggy days those which 

 are cloudy, but nineteen days out of the two mid-summer months 

 remain during which the sun shines upon us in unclouded 

 splendor. 



If we give due weight to these sources of humidity and cold, 

 and consider, also, that our position on the sea-side is an 

 additional cause of a diminished temperature, we need feel no 

 surprise at the sub-arctic summers which prevail at St. John, 



3.4 2.3 5.7 

 8.1 7.6 8.1 



5.5 6.1 6.3 



