8 
For another reason is dry air of value to the fruit-grower. It 
favours the better penetration through the atmosphere of heat and 
light, and their access to the plant. The effect of the chemical rays 
of the sun, which, although not appealing to our senses in the same 
measure as its thermal rays, are nevertheless essential in bringing 
about the perfect ripening of fruit. Now, a layer of vapour-laden 
atmosphere floating over the earth acts as a sereen, which, although 
pervious to the heat rays, shuts off in a great measure the chemical 
rays of the sun. A practical illustration of this fact has been 
noticed by everyone. However hot the season, fruit will ripen 
slowly and rot on the plant if the atmosphere is dull, moist, and 
muggy; whereas in a dry and bright autumn, fruit will be corre. 
spondingly luscious and richly flavoured, and will put on the 
brightest of those tints of colour by which each variety is differen- 
tiated from the other. 
MEAN MONTHLY RELATIVE AIR HUMIDITY—AUGUST TO APRIL— 
AND MEAN ANNUAL, (SATURATION = 100.) 
Mean 
Annual 
— Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Jan. | Feb. | Mar. | Apl. (12 
Mths). 
Geraldton one) 74 74 72°6 70 75 73:6) 67 72°6) 67 71°6 
York ... ee | 71°86] 73 66 53:3) 59 54:3} 53-3) 63-6) 54 63 
Perth ... nr) 73°6) 69 69 63°6] 63:3) 61-6; 62-3) 60:3) 61:3 66-2 
Bunbury ie 75 76 73 67°6] 65-3] 68-3} 68 71-3) 72+3 73 
Albany see | 77°83) 77-6) 77 72:6) 80-3) 74:3] 80-6) 75 75:3) 76 
Mean 
Annual 
_—_ Apl. | May. | June. | July. | Aug. | Sept.) Oct. | Nov. (12 
Mths) 
Los Angeles ... ae | 73-1) 75-2) 73 75:4) 76:2) 72-9) 74-3) 66-6 73:3 
Fresno aS seis 59-3) 52-7) 42-7) 34°7) 384-7] 43-6) 55-1) 64-1 48°3 
Sacramento ... vs | 67-6] 67°6] 66-1) 58-9) 59-8} 59 62-4] 66-8] 63-6 
THE RAINFALL AND WaTER SUPPLY. 
The rainfall of the zone running along the sea-coast of Western 
Australia for a distance of 80 to 100 miles from the coast is regular 
and rehable. More abundant in close proximity to the seashore, 
and also on the higher tableland of the Darling Ranges which 
fringes the coast-line some twenty miles inland for a distance of 
about 300 miles, the rainfall gradually decreases the farther inland 
we go. 
Practically, there are only two seasons, the “dry” and the 
“wet.” Both are influenced by monsoonal action. In the Northern 
part the wet season sets in during the summer months, commencing 
in November and lasting till April. During that time smart cv- 
clones, locally called ‘‘willy-willies” and ‘‘eock-eyed bobs,” at times 
