Climate. 13 



accompanied by those thick mists, called haars> arising from 

 the copious evaporation of the German Ocean ( 19 ). The latter 

 are loaded with the vapours of the Atlantic, and are often 

 rendered prejudicial by excess of moisture. The strength 

 of the prevailing winds, or the violence with which they act, 

 more especially during harvest, ought likewise to be consider- 

 ed (*). If they are very violent, they are apt to affect the 

 crops ; and of course it becomes an object, to suit the produce 

 to them, and to form fences, inclosures, and plantations ac- 

 cordingly. 



6. Position^ whether Maritime or Inland* A maritime po- 

 sition, occasions a more equal temperature in a climate. 

 Where a great body of land is exposed to the rays of the 

 summer sun, the air becomes much warmer than it would if 

 resting upon a small body of land, contiguous to, or sur- 

 rounded by the ocean. On the other hand, as the sea al- 

 ways preserves nearly the same temperature, and, except in 

 the most northern regions, is never frozen, it communicates 

 warmth, in the cold seasons of the year, to the air passing 

 over it, which had been cooled in its passage over continents 

 covered with ice and snow (* ' ). Hence islands are more tem- 

 perate than continents. It appears indeed, that the thermo- 

 meter has not so great a range on the sea-coast, as in the 

 more inland parts of Great Britain, even at an elevation of 

 400 feet above the level of the sea ("). Of the influence of 

 proximity to the sea, many proofs might be brought forward. 

 It is in consequence of this circumstance, that the city of 

 Moscow, which is situated farther south than Edinburgh, ex- 

 periences winters much more severe. 



Another effect of a maritime position is, that strong winds 

 which blow from the sea, are sometimes accompanied by salt 

 spray, or vapour, which is injurious both to crops of grain, 

 and the leaves of trees ( a3 ). When it comes in moderation 

 however, those saline particles, with which the westerly winds 

 are loaded, contribute to promote the verdure of the fields in 

 pasture (* 4 ). 



The nature of the inland position is also of much import- 

 ance. The relative position of the neighbouring hills, occa- 

 sions a material difference of climate, exposing some dis- 

 tricts to great severity of weather, and by protecting others, 

 greatly promoting their fertility. 



7. Regularity of the Seasons. In many countries the sea- 

 sons are regular. In others, as in Great Britain, they are ex- 

 tremely variable, and often change, in the space of a few 

 hours, from dry to moist, from hot to cold, from clear to 



