1849.] 



exercised by Trees on Climate, 



459 



The forests in this quarter therefore, whatever beneficial effects 

 they may have during the rains or cooler portions of the year, would 

 seem to exercise but little influence on the general climate, or iti 

 the preservation of moisture, at the very season when it is most re- 

 quired. 



If forests maintain a lower temperature during the day, they 

 equally prevent direct radiation, and induce a higher tempera- 

 ture during the night, w^hile they must always be pervious to the 

 strong and dry winds that prevail during one season of the year. 



The Ceded Districts, meaning thereby chiefly the Collectorate of 

 Bellary, although in the very midst of the Peninsula, and its capital, at 

 least, 200 miles from either coast, in a country also nearly destitute of 

 forest tracts and mountain chains, and 1,600 feet above the sea, is 

 hardly a drier climate, or with less rain than the province of Tinne- 

 velly, which is hardly above \ the above distance from either coast, 

 frontiered by the chain of ghats, and with more forest or jungle tracts, 

 and not above 200 feet above the sea. 



The average annual fall of rain at Bellary is about 20 inches, but 

 has occasionally been as little as 8 or 10 inches. 

 The fall of rain at Bellary was in 



1822.., 24 inches. At Palamcottah the 



1823 1\ „ average is 26 inches. 



1824 19i „ But in 1S4S there 



1828 2A\ „ was only about 15 „ 



1833. 9i „ 



The fall of rain at Coimbatore was in 



1845 23 inches. 1S46 13i inches. 



1847 34 „ 1S48 19i „ 



These two districts, to which may be added Coimbatore, appear 

 to be, as far as regards the fall of rain, the driest perhaps under the 

 Madras Presidency, or perhaps in any part of our Indiaii Empire, 

 with exception of Scinde. 



But small as is the fall of rain in the district of Bellary, the 

 springs of water are I believe abundant, the slope of the country 

 and the nature of the strata being favorable to their development. 

 I recollect in the country about Raidroog, 40 miles South of Bellary, 

 large holes were every where sunk from 25 to 30 feet deep, through 

 the disintegrated and decomposed' gneiss, where copious springs 

 abounded, and carrying off channels from thence, the water was 



TOL, XV. NO. XXXVI. L 1 



