1859.] THE ISLAND OF MALTA. 179 



are larg-e and caudate. The cut will express my meaning better 

 than words ; it may very probably be the variety, or hybrid, your 

 contributor alludes to ; if it is so, it can only rank as a mere va- 

 riety of Calystegia sepium. 



J. F. Robinson. 



THE ISLAND OF MALTA. 



Malta, its Climate and Vegetable Produce. 

 By John Sim. 



Malta is an island twenty-one miles in length, twelve in 

 breadth, and about sixty in circuit. Its geographical position is 

 too generally known to require comment or explanation. Its 

 general appearance is flat, but to the southward there are a few 

 low, undulating hills; Civita Vecchia, seven miles from Valetta 

 the capital, occupies one of their summits. Viewed from the sea, 

 Malta presents a very barren aspect, — a mere desert, — its mono- 

 tony only relieved by the low bushy tree, Ceratonia siliqua, the 

 Carob-tree, or St. John's bread, called also the Locust-tree, be- 

 cause its fruit is considered by some to have been the food on 

 which John the Baptist subsisted in the wilderness of Jud^a. 

 Be this as it may, it appears to be the only tree that I could 

 pronounce with certainty to be indigenous to the island; it is 

 abundantly distributed everywhere throughout its whole extent. 

 The climate of INIalta, during the months of June, July, and 

 August, is extremely hot, the thermometer in the shade often ex- 

 ceeding 90°, and rarely below 84°. Its minimum in the coldes' 

 months is seldom below 55°; and the average temperature of the 

 year I found to be about 70° ; this was the result of four years' 

 close observation. On one occasion only did I detect indications 

 of frost, but so very slight as just to be perceptible. During my 

 five years' residence snow never fell, but the north winds of Ja- 

 nuary and February were often disagreeably cold. In summer 

 they are, with even a temperature of 84°, remarkably refreshing. 

 In the summer months rain rarely or ever falls ; the sky is desti- 

 tute of clouds, and assumes a deep azure hue, and the rays of the 

 sun are scorchingly hot. I have seen the thermometer in the 

 sun rise to nearly 150°. In September the autumnal rains begin 



