308 ALLISON — NOVA SCOTIAN METEOROLOGY. 



sledding facilitates, the hauling out of all kinds of wood. April is 

 better dry till the Spring ploughing and planting are over, but then 

 we can stand a large quantity of rain till the middle of June, for 

 proverbially, "a wet May makes good hay." From that date, till 

 August is half gone, much rain is not needed, but the after crop 

 needs moisture then ; and through September frequent and copious 

 showers do the pastures more good than they can do harm in other 

 ways. On all accounts, we are better off for a large rain fall in 

 October and November, and we usually are blessed by it. Thus 

 the swamps are filled, and freeze earlier and harder for the Winter's 

 work ; and the brooks and rivers running high suit another great 

 branch of the country's industry — lumbering. Indeed the labours 

 of the woodsman, and of the mills are benefitted by rain at all 

 times in this Province where evaporation is so great from March to 

 October. 



Of the four oldest provinces of Canada, the total precipitation 

 of Nova Scotia is decidedly the greatest, as is the rain fall. As 

 yet, the observations in British Columbia, Manitoba, and Prince 

 Edward Island, are not numerous enough to place their averages 

 in proper order ; but, for the sake of comparison, calling Nova 

 Scotia 40, New Brunswick would be 35, Quebec 26, and Ontario 

 23. In the latter Province so little rain falls (except in the W. 

 and S. W. district) that frequently the draughts are injurious; and 

 in Toronto, the facts prove that their already limited supply is 

 decreasing, which causes much apprehension. Our large precipita- 

 tion would be troublesome, did it come in smaller quantities on 

 many days ; but this is not so, and we enjoy the farther advantage 

 of having a great number of fair days. Thus Toronto, with an 

 average fall of only 35.5 inches, scores but 186 fair days, while 

 Halifax, with 53 inches rain and melted snow, has still an average 

 of 204 days completely dry. Again, to show how free this Pro- 

 vince is is from the light drizzling rains common in many other 

 parts of the north temperate zone :. the average rain fall of the 

 London district for 60 years is about 24.5 inches, — less than half 

 of our total precipitation, while the number of wholly dry days 

 is very much the same in any year. 





