on the Climate and Ayriculture of the British Isles. (i7 
different months of the year undergoes a peculiar chanfje in 
passings from west to east. At the Scilly Isles most rain falls in 
December and January. After strikinj^ the land the wet season is 
at Penzance partially extended into October ; from thence, over 
the western hills, the greatest rainfall more fully clusters in 
Octolier ; and on the eastern plain the largest quantity falls in 
July and August. Thus while winter raiir prevails in the west, 
summer rain is most abundant in the east. 
21ie Effects of Climate on Ac/ricultural Crops. — This subject 1 
have before discussed in the 11th volume of this Journal, but 
not so fully as its importance demanded. My lack of service 
has, liowever, been ably supplied by two valuable papers contri- 
buted to the 20th volume by Mr. Russell, in which the climate 
suited to each particular crop is exhibited in considerable detail. 
It would be superflous again to go over the same ground, and I 
shall, therefore, only direct attention to the more prominent 
influences which our peculiar climate exerts on agricultural 
products. 
It would hov/ever be entirely futile to attempt to dictate the 
course of cultivation which should be pursued in different dis- 
tricts from a consideration of climate only. I have endeavoured 
in this and in my former paper to examine and exhibit the prin- 
cipal elements Avhich constitute the climate of the British Isles ; 
the tables of temperature and rain, which I have Avith much 
labour obtained and reduced to a practical form ; the Avarmth 
from the western ocean, with the prevailing winds and their 
effects, form the basis on which a knowledge of this subject must 
be founded ; and any intelligent agriculturist mastering these 
leading facts, and taking into consideration any local peculiarities 
of elevation or exposure, would thus be enabled to adopt such a 
system of culture as the soil will best support and the climate 
mature. 
I will only venture to repeat that the strong soils and high 
summer temperature of the middle and eastern side of England 
give to it such a preponderance of v/heat-growing capabilities as 
must ever constitute it the great corn-field of England. This 
favoured country narrows in passing northwards, until high up 
the eastern side of Scotland it is reduced to a narrow strip of 
low-lying coast-land. 
The western portion of Britain and the whole of Ireland have 
warm winters, cool summers, and a heavy downfall of rain, 
which constitute it a grazing country. Yet here there are many 
low-lying districts, with a moderate rainfall, on which wheat 
may be grown with advantage, and friable, warm soils, with a 
summer temperature, admirably adapted to perfect the barley- 
crop. But the land on most of the high ground should be held 
F 2 
