in  its  Effect  on  Cultivation. 
15 
tity  of  rain  falls  than  is  desirable  for  the  perfection  of  the  grain- 
crops,  but  not  more  than  is  requisite  for  the  roots,  which  in 
these  months  require  moisture  for  a rapid  growth.  November 
stands  prominently  out  as  a very  wet  month  in  Devon  and 
Cornwall,  but  it  has  not  this  extreme  character  further  east- 
ward, and  does  not  in  Ireland  show  any  excess  of  moisture  over 
December. 
36.  The  autumnal  rain  sets  in  earlier  around  the  Cumberland 
hills,  and  judging  from  Swansea  on  the  Welsh  mountains  also: 
in  these  districts  October  is  the  wettest  month.  The  greater 
evaporation  which  takes  place  in  summer  is  carried  chiefly  into 
the  higher  regions  of  the  atmosphere,  but  the  rain-clouds  descend 
to  a lower  altitude  on  the  approach  of  winter,  and  are  at  this  sea- 
son, when  evaporation  is  still  rapidly  proceeding,  placed  more 
fully  within  the  influence  of  the  condensing  power  of  these  high 
lands.  The  excess  of  rain  in  October  on  the  Cumberland  hills, 
is  the  result  of  a law  which  is  generally  applicable  to  the  most 
elevated  districts  of  these  islands. 
37.  More  rain  falls  on  the  low  lands  of  the  eastern  coast  in 
summer  and  autumn  than  in  winter  and  spring.  This  is  shown 
by  the  excellent  series  of  observations  made  at  Boston. 
38.  The  general  result  of  what  has  been  stated  under  this 
head  shows,  that  there  is  a gradual  change  in  the  distribution  of 
rain  amongst  the  various  seasons  from  west  to  east.  On  the 
south-west  of  Ireland  and  at  Cork,  the  largest  amount  is  depo- 
sited in  the  winter  months;  on  the  western  coast  of  England  and 
Scotland  autumnal  rain  prevails;  and  on  the  eastern  parts  of 
England  the  summer  months  receive  the  greatest  proportion  of 
the  annual  quantity. 
39.  Rain  on  elevated  Regions. — In  the  year  1793,  Mr.  Garnett 
reported  to  the  Irish  Academy  that  84  inches  of  rain  fell  in  one 
year  at  Kendal ; since  which  86  and  90  inches  have  been  mea- 
sured at  Esthwaite  Lodge  and  Grasmere.  “ So  startling  did  these 
amounts  appear  to  meteorologists  when  first  made  known,  that 
many  were  led  either  to  doubt  their  authenticity,  or  to  suspect  the 
accuracy  of  the  instruments  employed.”  These  doubts  have  been 
effectually  removed  by  the  accurate  observations  and  indefatigable 
labours  of  Mr.  J.  F.  Miller,  of  Whitehaven,  who  has  measured 
the  quantity  of  rain  which  falls  on  the  lake  districts  of  Cumber- 
land and  Westmoreland,  the  results  of  which  are  published  in 
the  ‘ Transactions  of  the  Royal  Society  for  1849.’  From  this 
source  the  table  at  page  16  has  been  compiled. 
40.  These  observations  of  Mr.  Miller  are  of  great  importance, 
in  endeavouring  to  form  a correct  estimate  of  the  climate  of  the 
British  Isles  ; as  a strong  analogical  case  may  be  founded  on  the 
facts  which  he  has  established,  applicable  to  all  the  high  lands  of 
