

THE CLIMATE OF IRELAND. 247 



ness in the atmosphere, as shown in the effect on 

 household goods, clothes, etc., and an absence of hot, 

 dry weather in summer, especially in the South, 

 much beyond anything usual in most parts of the 

 West of England, even where the rainfall is the 

 same. Arthur Young said, long ago, " The worst of 

 the climate of Ireland is the constant moisture 

 without rain." I am inclined to think it might be 

 said more truly, The best of the climate is the 

 constant moisture. But, either way, whether for 

 good or bad, such is the climate. My experience has 

 been chiefly in the West Hiding, County Cork, and 

 there, beyond a few warm days in summer, some- 

 times not more than half-a-dozen, we know very 

 little of what hot weather means. In spite of this 

 dampness of atmosphere, the soil being generally 

 rather thin, and so drying very quickly, it is a 

 charming climate, mild in winter and cool in summer, 

 of a refreshing softness after the heat of English 

 summer weather, that causes a sense of actual 

 enjoyment from mere passing through the air, like 

 the enjoyment of a drive in the cool evening of a 

 roasting day. 



The one drawback is the force of the south-west 

 winds, which are, however, the cause of our other 

 advantages. 



Facts from the garden confirm this opinion. 

 Pears against a wall seldom ripen to their right 

 flavour. Peaches, except in especially warm and 



