AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES. 15 



pellier, which lies 11° further north ; and Kagoshima, although in 

 the same latitude as Damietta, has frequent night frosts in winter. 



January was the coldest month of 1883 in the greater part of 

 Southern Japan (Kiushiu, Shikoku, and the parts of Hondo which 

 border on the Inner Sea and the Owari Bay) ; but in the rest of 

 Hondo and in Yezo it was February. August proved the hottest 

 almost everywhere. The difference between the mean maximum 

 and the mean minimum temperatures increases naturally with the 

 latitude and with the distance of the station from the coast. It 

 amounted in Miyasaki, for example, to 19° C, and in Sapporo to 

 28° C. More important, for vegetation at least, are the greatest 

 extremes of 36'6° C. in Wakayama and — 22'2°C. in Sapporo. In 

 Kochi the difference between the highest and lowest temperature 

 amounted to 36° C. ; in Sapporo, 56° C. Variations of 14 or 

 15° C. on the same day and in the same place are not unusual 

 in spring and autumn. 



With reference also to the amount and distribution of rainfall, 

 the greatest differences were indicated. The stations in Yezo ex- 

 cepted, Aomori, Nobiru, and those on the Inner Sea recorded the 

 least rain-fall (under 1,000 mm.) ; Kanazawa, the highest (2,400 

 mm.) ; and then followed Kiushiu and Shikoku. During the 

 winter months, the greatest fall is on the north-west and west 

 coasts. The largest amount, for Kiushiu and Shikoku, comes in 

 April, May, and June, while in March, September, and October 

 there is a more equal distribution over the whole country. 



In general, however, Japan is blessed with copious rains, 

 especially in summer. These, together with the large amount 

 of snow, which in winter lies everywhere upon the mountains, 

 and, towards the north, on the plains, supply a number of springs. 

 The water supply of the country is therefore copious and is of 

 great aid to vegetation, partly directly and partly through irriga- 

 tion. Quiet lakes, murmuring brooks, and rushing cascades 

 heighten the charm of the landscape in mountains and forests ; 

 but there is not room enough for the development of great river 

 systems and a thorough utilization for commerce. 



The long extended row of the Japanese islands, with predomin- 

 atingly mountainous character and great diversity in relief, is of 

 varying geological structure. This subject has, since my departure 

 from Japan, been thoroughly investigated, especially by Gottsche, 

 Lyman Naumann, and others. The last, particularly, as director of 

 the geological survey, in conjunction with T. Wada, the royal mini- 

 sterial councillor and director of the Royal Geological Institute, 

 has expended much industry and skill in this department.^ 



In the order of age, there follow upon the original gneiss, — 

 which, however, has been found outcropping only in a few spots, — 

 widespread and often extensive deposits of crystalline shales. Great 



^ See E. Naumann : " Ueber den Bau und die Entstehung der Japanischen 

 Inseln." Berlin, 1885. 



