no 6eo0rapbfcal IRotes on /iDejico, 



Among the twenty scientific institutes, mention should be made of 

 the Geographical and Statistical Society, whose meteorological depart- 

 ment issues charts and maps of unsurpassed excellence. 



Owing to the spongy nature of the soil, the Mineria and many 

 other structures have settled out of the perpendicular, thus often pre- 

 senting irregular lines and a rickety appearance. 



Before 1860 half of the city consisted of churches, convents, and 

 other ecclesiastical structures, most of which have been sequestrated 

 and converted into libraries, stores, warehouses, hotels, and even 

 stables, or pulled down for civic improvements. Nevertheless there 

 still remain fourteen parish and thirty other churches, some of large 

 size, with towers and domes. San Francisco Street is the leading 

 thoroughfare, and is rivalled in splendor only by the new Cinco de 

 Mayo Street, running from the National Theatre to the cathedral. 



It would take a great deal more space than it is convenient to give 

 in this paper, should I attempt to make a longer description of the City 

 of Mexico which, being one of the oldest on this continent and the 

 largest and principal one during the three centuries of the Spanish 

 rule, it has quite a number of remarkable buildings and monuments 

 and a very important history, a great deal of romance being connected 

 with it. 



The City of Mexico is not only the capital of the country, but the 

 real head of the Republic ; and the aim of all other Mexican cities is 

 to follow in its footsteps and imitate as much as possible the City of 

 Mexico, which to them is a beau ideal and a real paradise. 



The City of Mexico is now literally encircled with a belt of fac- 

 tories cotton, paper, linen, etc., packing houses, brick works, cork 

 factories, soap works, etc., and cheaper fuel will add largely to their 

 number. They have been able to show profits under the load of a dear 

 combustible, and they will welcome the introduction of any fuel, which 

 will enable them to work even more successfully. 



Climate. From the official reports of Professor Mariano Barcena, 

 Director of the National Meteorological Observatory of the City of 

 Mexico, of the weather conditions in 1895, it appears that there were 

 121 cloudy days. But the rains were mostly at night or late in the 

 afternoon, of short duration, and immediately succeeded by sunshine 

 showers. Long periods of rainy weather are unknown there. The 

 total rainfall for the year, less than twenty inches, will convey a fair 

 idea of the dryness of the climate. The mean temperature in the shade 

 for 1895 was 60 degrees, the highest being 65, reached in April, and 

 the lowest 53, in January, a temperature rather which avoids both 

 extremities. The mean temperature for the summer months were : 

 June, 64 degrees ; July, 62 ; August, 62 ; September, 61. 



The table on page 112, prepared by the Weather Bureau of the City 



