Cuap. XV.] CLIMATE OF CHINA. 289 
and snow are of frequent occurrence. In fact, the 
climate of Northern China has a greater resem- 
blance to that of the south of England or France, 
than it has to that of the southern parts of the 
Chinese empire ; and although hotter, used always 
to remind me of the beautiful summers we have in 
England once in every ten and twelve years. The 
sky is for days and weeks together without a cloud, 
and in the evening a heavy dew falls and refreshes 
vegetation. 
These remarks will assist the reader to under- 
stand more fully the theory and practice of 
Chinese agriculture, which form the subject of the 
following chapter. 
