G CLIMATE AND VEGETATION. 



to the Kurilian Islands, bathed on the east by the 

 ocean, and on the west by the sea of Ochotsk, 

 is, like many men, better than its reputation. 

 It is supposed to be the roughest and most 

 desolate corner of the world, and yet it lies 

 under the same latitude as England and Scot 

 land, and is equal in size to both. The sum 

 mer is indeed much shorter, but it is also much 

 finer ; and the vegetation is more luxuriant 

 than in Great Britain. The winter lasts long, 

 and its discomforts are increased by the quan 

 tity of snow that falls ; but in the southern 

 parts the cold is moderate ; and experience has 

 repeatedly refuted the erroneous opinion, that 

 on account of its long duration, and the conse 

 quent curtailment of the summer season, corn 

 cannot be efficaciously cultivated here. 



Although the snow lies in some of the valleys 

 till the end of May, because the high, over 

 shadowing mountains intercept the warm sun 

 beams, yet garden-plants prosper. Potatoes 

 generally yield a triple crop, and would per 

 fectly supply the want of bread, if the inhabi 

 tants cultivated them more diligently : but the 

 easier mode of providing fish in superabundance 



