402 Europe : — a popular Physical Sketch. 



that of Stockholm by 1.1 only, which proves that the dif- 

 ference between the seasons is not so great as it is to the 

 northward of the large lakes. The annual quantity of 

 rain is — 



Stockholm, 19 inches. 



Vesteras, 19 



Lund, 19^ 



In more mountainous parts the quantity of rain appears 

 to be greater ; thus, for instance, in Wexio, it is 23 inches. 



The forests, like those of the more northern parts of 

 the peninsula, consist chiefly of Jlrs and birch, and in the 

 southern part the beech is not uncommon. On the western 

 side the latter tree extends to Gothenburg (58° north lat.) 

 but on the eastern to Calmar only (56 — 57° north lat.) 

 Oak, on the contrary, ranges all over the south of Sweden, 

 and in particular in the southern provinces. 



The plain and warmer Scania (Skaane) is more calcu- 

 lated for agriculture, than any other part of the Scandina- 

 vian peninsula. 



Finland, like the south of Sweden, is situated SE. from 

 the great mountain chain in the southern part of the Scan- 

 dinavian peninsula ; thus Finland is situated SE. from the 

 northern part, between 60° and 66* north lat., extending 360 

 miles from N. to S., and 280 to 320 miles from E. to W. 

 These two tracts of country display a similarity not only 

 in their situation, but also in the circumstances that they 

 abound with lakes, and possess but low mountains. The 

 Alands-Islands form a natural connecting bridge. 



Finland is best imagined as a very low mass of mountains, 

 flat above, consisting of numerous lake basins (depressions 

 with lakes in their centres) declining steeply towards the gulph 

 of Finland, more gently towards the gulph of Bothnia. The 

 highest mountain exceeds not 1280 feet. A greater number 

 of lakes, and still fewer rivers than in the south of Sweden, 

 are found here. The mountains of Finland blend imper- 



