348 



The National Geographic Magazine 



Southeast, east, northeast, and north 

 are not prevailing winds and have com- 

 paratively little influence on our climate, 

 but when we do have a northeast wind 

 blowing from the mainland in winter or 

 spring, as we had for a week or ten days 

 in March of 1906, the temperature drops 

 several degrees below freezing and the 

 change is felt keenly. In summer the 

 north wind, blowing over a heated land 

 surface, is our warmest wind. There has 

 been an occasional cold winter, with con- 

 siderable snow, notably 1893, but it is 

 unusual and has little elifect on the aver- 

 age temperature of a number of years. 



I would suggest, therefore, that among 

 the factors which modify the climate of 

 Victoria, giving us our mild winter, 

 warm summer days, and cool summer 

 nights and a minimum precipitation, are 

 the following: 



1. Our insular position. 



2. The very uniform temperature of 

 the Pacific to the west of us. 



3. Prevailing westerly winds, with free 

 access. 



4. High mountain ranges situated at 

 such a distance that but little of the pre- 

 cipitation caused by them extends to Vic- 

 toria. 



5. The Olympic Mountains, modifying 

 the south winds and precipitating their 

 moisture there, so that these winds reach 

 us cool and dry. 



6. Slight precipitation throughout a 

 large portion of the year, permitting 

 abundant sunshine during those periods. 



I may add that the climate of Victoria 

 during July and August of last year 

 (1906) reminded me very much of 'that 

 of the Nile Valley during the months of 

 January and February. The ravs of the 

 sun were about as hot, the air as dry, 

 the nights as cool, and there was so little 

 rain that it was hardly noticeable. 



' Report of the Chief of the Weather Bureau, 

 1897-8, p. 270-2. 



■ Canadian Meteorological Service Summary 

 up to 1902. 



" U. S. Weather Bureau Summary, 1905. 



* Victoria Station, Canadian Meteorological 

 Service, 1905-6. 



° Canadian and U. S. Weather Bureau Sum- 

 mary, 1905. 



"SCENES FROM EVERY LAND" 



TPIE National Geographic Society 

 will probably publish about Sep- 

 tember 30 a volume of from 160 to 200 

 pages, containing the more striking and 

 instructive of the many pictures that have 

 been published in the Magazine during 

 the past several years. The Society has 

 received many requests from members 

 and others desiring copies of certain of 

 our illustrations, which we have been 

 unable to satisfy, owing to the fact that 

 practically all of the numbers are out 

 of print. It is planned to include in this 

 book pictures representing every part 

 of the world, as well as subjects of gen- 

 eral geographic interest. The volume 

 will consist entirely of illustrations, with 

 from six to ten lines of explanatory 

 text beneath each picture, and also con- 

 tain a bibliography of several pages of the 

 standard books on different parts of the 

 world and geographic subjects, includ- 

 ing natural history. 



In order that the Society may know 

 in advance how man)' copies the members 

 may demand, it is requested that every 

 member desiring copies will fill out the 

 blank form printed on another page and 

 return it as soon as possible. The price 

 of the volume will be $1.00, and will be 

 sent only to members subscribing for it. 

 The volume has been prepared by Gilbert 

 H. Grosvenor. editor of the National 

 Geograpuic Magazine. 



PHOTOGRAPH OF OIL WELL NEAR 

 OIL CITY, PENNSYLVANIA 



WHEN a well is drilled into the oil- 

 bearing sand a charge of nitro- 

 glycerine, from 10 to 200 or more quarts, 

 is lowered into the well and exploded, to 

 open up the sand. This results in a better 

 flow of the oil into the well, and as a rule 

 materially increases the production. The 

 accompanying pliotograph shows the ef- 

 fect, at the surface, of the discharge of 

 30 quarts of the explosive at a depth of 

 438 feet. 



— S. A. Cornelius, Oil City, Pa. 



