May, 1848. FRUITS IN INDIA. 161 



the sun shines so much more frequently between the heavy- 

 showers, that the apple and other fruits are brought to a 

 much better state. It is true that the rain-gauge may show 

 as great a fall there, but this is no measure of the humidity 

 of the atmosphere, and still less so of the amount of the sun's 

 direct light and heat intercepted by aqueous vapour, for it 

 takes no account of the quantity of moisture suspended in 

 the air, nor of the depositions from fogs, which are far more 

 fatal to the perfecting of fruits than the heaviest brief showers. 

 The Indian climate, which is marked by one season of 

 excessive humidity and the other of excessive drought, 

 can never be favourable to the production either of good 

 European or tropical fruits. Hence there is not one of 

 the latter peculiar to the country, and perhaps but one 

 which arrives at full perfection ; namely, the mango. The 

 plantains, oranges, and pine-apples are less abundant, 

 of inferior kinds, and remain a shorter season in perfection 

 than they do in South America, the West Indies, or 

 Western Africa. 



IJOFCHA AMULET. 



