TEMPERATURE — WINTER. 79 



decidedly, according to the seasons ; there is nothing mo- 

 notonous or debilitating about it. 



And yet these variations are rarely violent, as they so 

 frequently are in all other countries; they are not of a 

 nature to produce illness from exposure, or sudden shocks 

 to the system, but, on the contrary, are entirely bene- 

 ficial, even to the most delicate, acting as a wholesome, 

 stimulating tonic rather than the contrary ; it is the ab- 

 sence of these changes which, as we have seen, render 

 tropical climates so enervating and ultimately injurious. 



The usual range of temperature for Florida during the 

 day, according to observations carefully conducted for 

 more than forty years by Government officials, is only 

 13° to 14°; and for the night season only a little more; 

 it changes just enough to be refreshing, seldom more or 

 less. 



The ideas that until recently obtained almost universal 

 credence, and are still prevalent to a great extent regard- 

 ing the mildness of a Florida winter, may be summed up 

 in the often-heard phrase, " No winter clothing required." 



And this is hardly to be wondered at when some of the 

 most prominent land companies scatter broadcast over the 

 country pamphlets containing such sentences as these: 

 ' ' You can live in comfort all winter in tents ; " " You 

 need not bring your winter overcoats, it will only be an 

 incumbrance;" "'No carpets required^ hence a great ex- 

 pense saved." 



And these and others also claim that bananas, pine- 

 apples, grapes, limes, and other tender plants can be 

 raised to profit, even almost to the northern border, and 

 " need no winter protection." 



There is exactly one grain of truth in these statements, 

 the last one quoted ; for certainly the plants mentioned 

 *'need no winter protection" in the sections indicated, 



