878 



of piants. Even with the relatively high winter temperature, piants 

 must be very hardy to endure changes so rapid and frequent as 

 these. 



On the other hånd, compare the summer temperatures and their 

 influence. The two hottest months are July and August with a 

 mean temperature of 10'' 8 C. In other words, there is no real 

 summer, as understood in Europe. If however the actual tem- 

 peratures are taken into account, the conditions are not so un- 

 favourable. The highest actual temperature recorded in thirty years 

 is 21° 2 C. But even in summer considerable variations in tem- 

 perature from day to day are frequent, mainly as a result of the 

 extremely changeable winds. 



Our knowledge of atmospheric temperature may be summed up 

 in a general statement: 



The temperature of the air in winter is compara- 

 tively high, as a rule above 0° C, occasionally a rapid 

 fall below zero may occur for a brief period, yet ex- 

 treme low readings nev er occur. The coldest period ex- 

 tends into the middle of the spring, and it is April be- 

 fore the temperature begins to increase. July andAugust 

 are the hottest months, but even then the temperature 

 is rather low, seldom rising above 20*^ C; rapid changes 

 also occur du ring this season. 



Piants capable of thriving under these conditions, must there- 

 fore be adapted to comparatively low temperatures, but there is no 

 need for any special adaptability to extreme and continuous cold. 



b. Rainfall and atmospheric moistiire. The rainfall 

 is considerable, the annual amount being 1570 mm. At all times 

 of the year there is an abundant downpour; it is least during the 

 spring and summer months, viz. April (93 mm.), May (88), June (77), 

 July (87), whereas December and January have 185 and 184 mm. 

 respectively. 



The rain generally falls as a fine drizzle, the total amount for 

 any given period being small. This is indicated by the faet that 

 in spring and summer there are no less than 20 rain-days per 

 month, or two thirds of the entire month; yet the actual amount 

 recorded in this period is only 86 mm. or an average of 4.3 mm. 

 for each day with rain. In winter the number of rain-days is 28 

 per month. The mean annual number of rainy days is about 280, 

 which leaves only 85 days without rain in the year (23 p. cent). 



