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JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and in the shade in the daytime, according to Mr. Spenser 

 St. John, it is frequently not more than 15°-16° C. (59°-62° P.). 

 The plants are enveloped in mist for several hours daily, much 

 in the same manner as the Odontoglossums on the higher slopes 

 of the South American Andes. Sanguined occurs on Mount 

 Ophir at 2,000-2,500 ft., and Khasiana at 3,000 ft. elevation, 

 facts that should be noted by those concerned in the cultivation 

 of these plants. 



The climate of the region, which for present convenience we 

 will call the Nepenthes region, is now well ascertained from 

 the long series of meteorological observations carried on at 

 Buitenzorg in Java, at Singapore, Penang, and other places. 

 From the record of these observations it is found that, except at 

 such high elevations as those mentioned, the climate is charac- 

 terised by the wonderful uniformity of its temperature day and 

 night as well as from one part of the year to another. As a 

 general rule the greatest heat of the day does not exceed 32°- 

 33° C. (90°-92° F.), while it seldom falls during the night below 

 23° C. (74° F.). The extreme range of temperature at Batavia 

 in three years was found to be only 15° C. (27° F.), the maximum 

 being 35° C. (95° F.) and the minimum 20° C. (68° F.). The 

 usual daily range of the thermometer is, on the average, only a 

 little more than 5° C. (about 10° F.). 



During a large part of the year the air of the Nepenthes 

 region is nearly saturated with vapour, and owing to the great 

 weight of vapour its high temperature enables it to hold in 

 suspension, a very slight fall in the thermometer is accompanied 

 by the condensation of a large quantity of atmospheric vapour, 

 so that copious dews and heavy showers of rain are produced at 

 comparatively high temperatures and low altitudes. The yearly 

 rainfall ranges from 75 to 80 in. with local deviations. During 

 the wet months of the year it is rare to have many days in 

 succession without some hours of sunshine, whilst even in the 

 driest months there are occasional showers. 



Such is the climate in which the Nepenthes live in their native 

 home, with the notable exceptions as regards temperature of 

 those species found at a high elevation. Nor does the climate 

 of the habitats of the outlying species differ essentially from that 

 of the equatorial zone, so that the general statement holds good 

 for them too. 



