638 
Climate  of  the  British  Islands 
islands,  and  the  comparative  want  of  that  verdure  on  the  Continent. 
This  also  explains  why  fruit  and  seeds  can  be  perfected  there, 
which,  with  a similar  average  temperature,  cannot  be  perfected  in 
our  islands. 
The  preceding  subject  also  indicates  that  plants  requiring 
regular  and  constant  growth  should  be  cultivated  in  the  west 
and  north ; those  requiring  a high  temperature  for  a limited 
period,  should,  on  the  contrary,  be  cultivated  in  the  south  and 
east. 
6th. — Different  annual  quantity  of  rain,  and  difference  in  the 
distribution  of  rain,  with  the  signs  of  its  approach. 
To  illustrate  this  subject  graphically  I have  tabulated  the  fall 
of  rain  from  the  year  1826  till  the  year  1847-  I have  chosen 
the  year  1826  for  commencing,  for  I well  recollect  that  year — it 
was  the  first  year  in  which  I had  taken  any  active  part  in  harvest 
operations,  and  hence,  from  having  a considerable  amount  of 
curiosity  respecting  weather,  &c.,  I have  carefully  observed 
seasons,  and  marked  their  effects,  from  that  time  to  the  present. 
Of  course  the  whole  of  the  tables  do  not,  and  could  not  be  the 
result  of  my  own  observation.  From  private  reasons  I have 
every  confidence  in  the  accuracy  of  the  results  which  appear 
annually  in  Moore’s  Almanack,  having  also  had  abundant  oppor- 
tunities of  verifying  their  accuracy.  I therefore  give  the  results 
which  have  appeared  there  during  the  last  twenty  years,  so  that 
any  one  who  may  wish  to  test  by  close  attention  to  facts  the 
reasoning  I adopt  respecting  the  effects  of  climate  on  vegetation 
may  have  an  opportunity  of  doing  so.  I have  tabulated  the 
results  for  three  places;  one  in  the  east,  viz.,  Epping  in  Essex, 
one  in  the  midland  counties,  viz.,  Empingham  in  Rutlandshire, 
and  one  in  the  west,  viz.,  Falmouth  in  Cornwall.  The  results 
show  upon  the  whole  a resemblance;  yet  it  is  evident  from  a mere 
inspection  of  the  tables  that  the  annual  fall  of  rain  is  not  always 
m the  same  proportion.  I could  have  extended  the  tables,  but 
found  the  labour  greater  than  1 had  anticipated,  and  probably 
should  have  shrunk  from  that  requisite  to  form  the  next,  viz.,  the 
one  for  Epping  divided  into  quarters,  had  it  not  been  for  its  im- 
portance in  future  remarks.  It  appears  from  the  following  tables 
that  the  amount  of  annual  rain  may  vary  in  particular  seasons  to 
the  extent  of  half  the  average  quantity  either  below  or  above  the 
mean.  Thus  if  any  place  have  an  average  fall  of  30  inches  of 
rain,  it  may  in  wet  seasons  have  rain  to  the  amount  of  nearly  45 
inches,  or  in  dry  ones  have  only  about  15  inches.  It  is  very  rare 
indeed  that  the  variation  is  more  than  half  of  the  aver  aye  fall  of 
rain. 
