154 METEOEOLOGICAL PEEIODICITT. 



Tliere are some who believe in a period of iiiue years, and no 

 doubt facts migbt be brought forward if the period could only find 

 a champion. Of the next period in our list a great deal has been 

 said, and for many years amongst observers of this climate this 

 period of ten years has been considered, if not an established 

 fact, at least one on behalf of which very much could be said, 

 and a large amount of experience brought in as evidence. 



For instance, the series following may be taken : — 

 1789") -p. 



1799 i^^;^^^^^^^- 



1809 This year was certainly wet during the winter, but 



very dry during a part of it. 

 1819 "Wet year in the winter, but dry spring and 



beginning. 

 1829-^ 



1839 > Very dry years. 

 1849 ) 



1859 Moderate year. 

 1869 Latter half dry. 

 So 1808 ^ 



1828 C ^^^^ ^^'^ years. 



1838; 



1848 Wet, but dry spring. 



1858 Moderate. 



1868 Moderate. 



And so of other series which might be taken, the ten years seem 

 to bring round the same weather ; and it will be observed that 

 in the early days of the Colony it was far more marked than it 

 has been during the last thirty years. It is not, therefore, sur- 

 prising that those who had bitter experience of 1808, 1818, 1828, 

 1838, 1829, 1839, and 1819, should be convinced that a ten years' 

 period was beyond question ; yet, I think, a careful examina- 

 tion of all the evidence reveals so many exceptions that it camiot 

 be looked upon as satisfactory, and it will presently be seen that 

 these years are better represented by the nineteen years' period 

 than by any other. 



Mr. Symonds, in the Eeport of the British Association for 1865, 

 and Nature, 1872, page 113, says : — " In a table I prepared for 

 fifty years' rainfall in G-reat Britain, (1) the wettest years are 

 1836, 1811, 1818, 1852, and 1860 ; (2) that these, all but two, form 

 a twelve-year period, viz., 1836, 1848. 1860, to wliichwe may now 

 add 1872; (3) that the dry years were 1826, 1834, 1844,'l854, 

 1855, 1858, and 1864 ; that of these, all but three form a ten -year 

 period, viz., 1834, 1844, 1854, 1864. All this looked very satis- 



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