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* wa — of the Mediterranean, flowing round enero: cr 
* picturesque headlands, and gleaming with an intensity of blue ap- 
a poached by that only of the cloudless sky which sre over all. 
* When we seek for the conditions which give to the flora of the 
** Western Riviera a character so essentially its own, we find a elimate 
* remarkable for the mildness of its winters and the high temperature 
* and dryness of its summers. It is thus qe a purely insular nor a 
* purely continental climate; for the cool ce: ers and the rigorous 
** winters of the latter are here equally absen ; 
* No less peculiar is the distribution cvs rain throughout the year. 
“ The season of rain is confined to the winter and spring months, while 
* the summer is, as a rule, absolutely rainless. 
* With the most important elements of climate thus mra a 
* well marked influence must be exerted in determining the periods 
“ active vegetation. After the winter rains have su plied the humility 
* essential to the perfect development of vegetation, there bursts u 
* in its suddenness. And then, when spring is su ot 
"c s mer, vegetation becomes arrested, and the freshness of 
“ the spring landscape is gone; for even the evergreens b ll 
“ and lustreless under the increasing heat and aridity of T. 
The annual rainfall in most of the Riviera stations is about the same 
as that of Greenwich, viz., 25 inches. The whole of this rain, with 
the exception of an occasional thunderstorm in summer, falls between 
September and April. The mean winter temperature (November, 
December, and January) is about 47? Fah. Occasionally the thermo- 
meter goes down to freezing point, and sometimes, though pus four 
^ oc nes 
or six degrees of frost are experie . is occurred in 
last he Aem some of the more delicate plants were injured by the 
ld e gardens at Villa Valetta several p s, and ferns 
were end oat as having been injured byt ald of last winter. 
These will be referred to again. ‘The same amount of a ien felt at 
Nice, where, in the gardens of the Floricultural Society, many plants 
were damaged by the frost. In 1887 no less than 11 de ees re frost were 
experienced in n this garden, when many plants, — hardy there, pene 
killed. Some interesting particulars in regard to the effects of a low 
perature on various plants were communicated by the manager of. aen 
ardens ; these will be given under the respective plants in the list which 
Mon s. In Mentone the par rarely falls below freezing point. 
* Two or three times in the winter the thermometer goes down for a 
- pene St or two to 38°, 36°, 34°, o or : di to 30° in exposed situations ” 
Bennet 
; The same circumstances which make the winter temperature of the 
Riviera pE e EE high have a like effect on the temperature in 
find the temperature often very trying. The fierce heat of the sun, 
untempered by wind, and the excessive drought, make good gardening 
very difficult. Many of the plants, large specimens as well as s mall, 
require daily drenching at the roots. It is impossible to keep a turf of 
any kind, the rr pm stretches of green grass which are to be seen in 
the winter being the results of annual sowingsin autumn. At this time 
the ground intended epum grass is dug over and trodden down very firmly, 
otherwise the heavy rains would wash it into disorder. The grass J 
was told is entirely rye-grass, and the best seed is reputedly Scotch. It 
- sown thickly and kept watered until the rains come. Some plants 
en to as being crippled by the excessive sun-heat in summer. 
* 
