476 CLIMATE OF 



or six degrees yet the heat of the sun's rays is very powerful. It is thickly 

 wooded on three sides, amongst which is a variety of pines and oaks, rho- 

 dodendrons and almost every tree, shrub and plant in the neighbourhood 

 peculiar to, and natives of Europe, with many others unknown, amongst 

 which are a variety of aromatic plants and shrubs.* 



In December, January, and February, snow falls and lies in shaded pla- 

 ces to the northward from one to three feet in depth. It sometimes falls 

 as early as the middle and end of November, and also in the beginning of 

 March but never lies on the ground. The winters here resemble those in 

 Europe but are less severe. Frosts commence before the middle of Octo- 

 ber, but notwithstanding that the effect of elevation is equivalent to geogra- 

 phical latitude, yet owing to the much greater altitude of the sun's rays in 

 the former, they have considerable power even in winter, and the snow in 

 exposed situations melts away in a few days of sunshine although the air 

 remains very sharp, and frosty nights prevail during the greater part of 

 March. It is worthy of remark that the flakes of snow are extremely large, 

 larger than ever I remember witnessing them in Europe. 



Spring at Kotgerh and at similar elevations may be said to commence 

 about the middle or latter end of March, but this greatly depends on the 

 nature of the season, and to continue all April. May is often rude and 

 disagreeable ; if rainy, fires and woollen clothes are indispensable to com- 

 fort. The harvest or reaping season commences in May and terminates 

 about the end of June. The jow or barley is the earliest, and the wheat 

 or kanak, and uwa jow are fully a month later. In more elevated situ- 

 ations it is backward, and the wheat is often not housed till sometime 



* There is a species of small reed bamboo which attains the height of eight or twelve feet growing 

 all over the higher mountains. It is used for a variety of domestic purposes and if introduced into 

 Britain might prove an advantageous acquisition to the peasantry as well as to gardeners and 



others. 



