90 Dr Forry on the Climale of the United Slates. 



rious islands of the Mediterranean and Atlantic held in high- 

 est estimation for mildness and equability of climate, is no 

 •way disparaging. A comparison of the mean temperature, 

 that of the warmest and coldest month, and that of succes- 

 sive months and seasons, results generally in fixvour of penin- 

 sular Florida. The mean difference of successive months stands 

 thus : Pisa, 5°-75 ; Naples, 5°-08 ; Nice, 4^^-74 ; Eome, 4^-39 ; 

 Fort King, interior of Florida, 4''-28 ; Fort Marion, at St 

 Augustine, 3""68 ; Fort Bi'ooke, on the western side of Flo- 

 rida, S^'-OO ; Penzance, England, 3°-05 ; Key West, near the 

 southern point of Florida, 2"-44 ; and Madeira, 2^-41. The 

 mean annual range thus : Fort King, 78° ; Naples, 64° ; 

 Rome, 62° ; Nice, 60° ; Montpelier, 59° ; Fort Brooke, 57° ; 

 St Augustine, 53° ; Penzance, 49° ; Key West, 37° ; and 

 Madeira, 23°. 



The w'ant of instrumental observations until recently, to 

 indicate with precision tlie actual or comparative humidity 

 of the atmosphere in Florida, is to be regretted. That the 

 air is much more humid than in our more northern regions, 

 is sufficiently cognizable to the senses. The deposition of 

 dew, even in the winter, is generally very great. To guard 

 against the oxidation of metals, as for instance surgical in- 

 struments, is a matter of extreme difficulty. During the 

 summer, books become covered with mould, and keys rust in 

 one's pocket. Fungi flourish luxuriantly. The write/ has 

 known a substance of this kind to spring up in one night, 

 and so incorporate itself with the tissue of a woollen garment 

 as to render separation impracticable. As the rains, however, 

 generally fall at a particular season, the atmosphere in Avin- 

 ter is comparatively dry and serene. The following abstract 

 of the monthly fall of rain at Key West is the mean of five 

 years' observations : — ' 



January 1-82, February 1-34, Marcli 198, April 1'09, May 

 6 34, June 2-39, July 2-84, August 330, September 435, 

 October 3-33, Noveniber 1'49, December 1-13 ; Annual ave- 

 rage 31-40. 



During six months, from November to May, it v/ill be ob- 

 sei'ved that the proportion of rain is but 8-84 inches, being 

 little above one-fourth of the annual quantity. Now, as in 



