Bae ye’ CO-RELATED TO THE 
PeorEANY OF ORERNEY: 
CLIMATIC FACTORS. 
HE climate of Orkney is insular, and free from 
the extremes, not only of continental areas, 
but of the inland districts of large islands, as of 
Great Britain. Temperature seldom falls very low, 
and as seldom rises high. One of the chief obstacles 
to plant growth is the unseasonable Springs. Winter 
is often prolonged to the end of March, and some- 
times to the middle of April. The first three 
months are the coldest. July and August are the 
warmest ; they are also the best for botanical 
excursions. There is another factor, which causes 
even more destruction to plant life, and that is the 
sudden changes from mild to severe within the space 
of two or three days. March is proverbially severe 
and trying on plant life. Some fine week—for it 
has its periods of mildness and sunshine, and Nature 
responds to the call—when trees are budding and 
the growth of plants sends their sap in circulation ; 
this early promise may be in the iron grip of frost 
