264 RELATION OP FORESTS TO 



upon the changes of temperature and direction of wind, can be studied 

 to better advantage by means of the two charts showing the dis- 

 tribution in summer and in winter, than by that for the year, since 

 the latter necessarily brings out the resultant phenomena, and should 

 consequently be of greater complexity than either of those for the 

 extreme seasons. With a few exceptions, presently to be noticed, the 

 distribution of rain in the extreme seasons is not very dissimilar from 

 that of the year as a whole." 



It is stated in the report that the tables show that mountains, and 

 hills have apparently a comparative trifling divertive influence on the 

 distributions of rain. For this conclusion some of my readers may 

 not have been prepared. To what extent, if any, the distribution of 

 forests may correspond with the distribution of rain is not referred 

 to ; but in a work on the aspects presented by forests in different 

 parts of the world, by M. F. S. Mtony, we have notices of the forests 

 in the United States, of which we may avail ourselves to see how far 

 these independent records — the one of the rainfall, and the other of 

 the forests — correspond. 



After a graphic description of the forests of South America, M. 

 Marny says : — " On re-ascending into upper Mexico and reaching 

 California, arborescent vegetation resumes, with regard to kinds, the 

 character of our temperate climates, but it still preserves its gigantic 

 character which' belongs to the trees of the New World. In Oregon, 

 the pines that fill the forests spread along the sea shore seem to be 

 the kings of all the pines in the universe. Their diameter is often 5 

 mfetres, their height surpasses sometimes 100, and their cones are 15 

 inches long. The pine lamhertina gives to the coast of California an 

 imposing but melancholy aspect. The lines of pines run along the 

 shore as far as Eussian America, where they are associated with oaks 

 and birches. Their less lofty species prevail in the forests of New 

 Hanover, of New Georgia, where they adorn, with sycamores and 

 maples, the slopes which incline towards the ocean." 



Along the coast, from lat. 50° to 41°, we have according to the 

 rain-chart a rainfall of from 60 to 40 inches, diminishing as we pro- 

 ceed inland to 52, 44, 32, 30 ; and in the longitudes of Nevada, 

 extending thence to Minnesota, Nebraska, and Kansas, 16 and 20, 

 with no mention of forests, but in the State last-named it rises to 20, 

 24, and 28. 



M, Marny proceeds : — " Crossing the Appalachian and the Rooky 



