338 Life in the Open 



with rivers of verdure flowing in all directions, and in 

 winter the vale of Avalon becomes a charming picture 

 with its setting of green hills which might well de- 

 light the eye of artist or poet. In January, February, 

 and March, wild flowers follow in rapid succession over 

 the hills and dales, and the days are like the cool 

 days of the late eastern fall. Perhaps the most remark- 

 able feature is the dryness of this island, twenty miles 

 out at sea. The relative humidity for the year is 67 ; 

 that of Asheville, N. C., is 72 ; Jacksonville, 70 ; Phila- 

 delphia, 80. The average heat for July at Avalon is 

 65. In August, 1892, a typical year, the highest mean 

 temperature at six in the morning was 72, the lowest 

 68 ; the highest at noon 78, the lowest 69. The high- 

 est at six in the evening was 74, the lowest 68 ; the 

 lowest ocean temperature was 69 at six in the morning, 

 the highest 76 at noon. Frost is practically unknown 

 at Avalon. The comparative mean temperature for 

 the six cold months is 58 ; the average for the same 

 period at Nice in southern France is 48, or 10 cold- 

 er, yet Nice is the most famous health resort along the 

 Riviera. The average temperature for January at this 

 island is 54, making the difference between mid-winter 

 and mid-summer 1 1 ; a most remarkable feature, which 

 I wish to emphasise, as it shows that the vale of Avalon 

 has an almost perfect climate, of interest to those who de- 

 sire such conditions and propose cruising along the Pacific 

 Coast. For these figures I am indebted to Mr. H. Elms 

 of Avalon, who kept the records for six or seven years. 



