CLIMATE SUITABLE. 217 



exerting a marked difference on the plants we cultivate 

 as crops. On the east coast, where the rainfall and the 

 humidity of the air are less, our root and forage crops 

 are generally less vigorous in their growth and produc- 

 tive in their returns than on the west coast, where the 

 rainfall and humidity are greater.. Again, for crops 

 which require less moisture for their growth and a drier 

 air for their maturation the cereals, for instance' the 

 climate of the east coast is generally more favourable 

 than that of the west. If ryegrass were grown for its seed 

 alone, the produce of a crop grown on the east coast would 

 probably, in a course of years, bring a better return per acre 

 than of a similar crop on the other side of the country ; 

 whereas we all know full well that merely for herbaceous 

 growth for forage purposes the produce of the crops 

 grown on the western side are greatly superior to those 

 obtained on the eastern coasts. Thus we see that the 

 climate of one side of the country is better adapted than 

 that of the other for the cultivation of crops which, either 

 from their deeply-penetrating roots or other natural char- 

 acters, can thrive in a comparatively dry soil and atmo- 

 sphere ; while the comparative humidity of the other 

 side renders it more suitable for the cultivation of herba- 

 ceous and shallow-rooted crops, whose power of develop- 

 ment would be proportionately checked if placed in the 

 same conditions under which the other classes of crops 

 thrive. And this we see practically is the case. In Eng- 

 land, the eastern counties take Norfolk and Suffolk are 

 noted for their grain, and the western counties say 

 Devonshire and Somersetshire for their dairy produce 

 and breeds of cattle. In the north, East Lothian and 

 Fife on the east coast, and Ayrshire and Galloway on the 

 west, fully support this natural arrangement of our 

 farming system. 



The lyegrasses are used more commonly for mixing 

 VOL. II. 47 



