during the past Winter. S75 
margins to the leaves is often planted with good effect in vases 
surmounting the pillars of gateways. Of these, some have the 
upper leaves killed, but many are little injured, though the 
rocts must have been exposed to severe cold. ‘The common 
myrtle, though a native of this part of Italy, is more cut by the 
frost thanany of the exotic plants above named, and has suffered 
as much as it often does in Devonshire in severe winters. 
Rain. — Deluges of rain, both heavier and of longer con- 
tinuance than are usual in England, fell in the latter end of 
November and middle of December. Of these, taking the 
Arno as a rain-gauge, that which prevailed more or less from 
the 17th to the 21st of December was the most considerable. 
From the 21st of February to the 31st of March, some very 
slight showers excepted, no rain fell; whence resulted not 
pecks, but tons, of March dust, and the finest possible weather 
for pruning the vines, and working the vineyards and olive 
grounds, which entirely surround Florence for miles, and are 
almost wholly dug by hand. 
Snow. — Some snow, mixed with sleet and rain, fell on a 
9th and 17th of January, and on the 13th the roofs we 
covered half an inch deep for a few hours: but the only con- 
siderable fall during the winter was on the 4th of February, 
when the snow was 4 or 5in. deep on the level; a greater 
fall than has occurred for eight or ten years, according to the 
Florentines, whose eager curiosity at every door and window 
to watch the descending flakes, showed that they do not wit- 
ness this exhibition every year. ‘The snow had disappeared 
from the middle (or second) range of Apennines surrounding 
Florence on February 25th, except drifted patches, a few of 
which still remained on March 27th, at which time the third 
or farthest range was still covered. 
Fogs. — Florence has the reputation, in some books of 
travels, of being subject to fogs; but it has scarcely deserved 
this character the past winter; in which there were about 
eight days in which the mornings were fogey till ten o’clock, 
and then succeeded by bright sunshine, but not more than two 
days of continued fog. 
Wind. — What is noted in the table as to the direction of 
the wind must be taken with some grains of allowance, as it is 
not always easy to be accurate on this point when residing in 
a city where, the fuel being mostly charcoal, you may look 
long without seeing smoke issue from a single chimney, and 
where, from its proximity to the Apennines, a superior current 
of air is not unfrequently directly contrary to that which pre- 
vails near the surface. ‘This was the ease for the whole of 
two days (Jan. 28. and 29.); the lower current being south- 
