1889]. Presidents Address. Ixiii 



visits I paid to Matjesfontoin last winter, where the mean degree of 

 saturation derived from the 8 a.m. observation for the months of July 

 and August was 84 per cent, but in an hour or so it would generally 

 fall to about 60 or 65 and remain so till night. In fact one's feelings 

 utterly negatived any such degree of saturation of the air as 80 per 

 cent. I do not believe that this increase of dryness is cancelled by a 

 corresponding decrease during the night, and even if it is the main 

 requirement for a health-station is that the air should be dry during 

 the day-time. I consider, then, to arrive at anything like a proper 

 estimate of the value of health-resorts up-country an observation of 

 the humidity should be made at at least one other hour in the day. 

 In conclusion, 1 will quote some remarks of Dr. Dove in connection 

 with the average amount of clouded sky in the South-Western 

 district. He says " We cannot refrain from a comparison of the 

 amount of cloud here with that of the far-famed sky of Italy. Accord- 

 ing to Hann the mean amount of cloud in Upper Italy amounts in winter 

 from 5 to 6, and sinks in summer from 3 to 4, in Southern Italy from 2 

 to 3. Even the neighbourhood of Cape Town then is distinguished 

 by a still smaller amount of cloud. Yet the Europeans of South 

 Africa possess neither an art iior a literature of their own : the reason 

 lies in their undeveloped state and home relations (in den unent- 

 wickelten politiken und wirtschaftlichen Verhaltnisse). When future 

 generations have fostered these branches of human knowledge in that 

 part of the world also, then we shall just as little miss in tiieir pro- 

 ductions the influence of the bright sky, strengthened by the unbroken 

 mildness of the climate, as among the equally-favoured nations of 

 South Europe." 



