172 
CHM \TE OF THE HATANNAH. 
waters ^hich filter by the clefts of the stratified rock, that 
trom the effect of an liydrostatic pressure, fresh water 
springs lar from the coast, and amidst salt water. The 
jurisdiction of the Ilavannah is not the most fertile part 
ot the island; and tlie few sugar-plantations that existed 
m the vicinity of the capital, are now converted into farms 
tor cattle, (potreros), and fields of maize and forage, of 
whicli the profits are considerable. The agriculturists of 
the island of Cuba distinguish two kinds of earth, often 
mixed together like the squares of a draught-board, black 
earth (negra o prieta) clayey and full of moisture, and red 
earth (bermeja), more silicious, and containing oxide of iron 
the tierra neym is generally preferred (on account of its 
best preserving humidity), for the cultivation of the sugar- 
cane, and the ticn-a hermeja for coftee ; but many suirar 
plantations are established on the red soil. 
Tlie climate ol the Ilavannah is in accordance with the 
extreme limits ot the torrid zone : it is a tropical climate, 
in which a more unequal distribution of heat at ditlerent 
parts ot the year, denotes the passage to the climates of the 
temperate zone. Calcutta (lat. 22'^ 34' N.) Canton Cat 
S J "r,;- *'>» is 
23 9 N.), and Eio Janeiro (lat. 22" 54' 8.) are places 
which, trom their position, at the level of the ocean near 
the tropics ot Cancer and Capricorn, consequently at an 
equal distance from the equator, aftbrd great facilities 
for the study of meteorology. This study can only advance 
by the determination of certain numeried elements which 
are the indispensable basis of the laws we seek to dis- 
cover. The aspect of vegetation being identical near 
the limits or the torrid zone, and at the equator, we are 
accustomed to confound vaguely the climates of two zones 
comprized betw'een 0" and 10°, and between 15° and 23° 
d latitude. The region of palm-trees, bananas and 
iboresccnt gramma, extends far beyond the two tropics • 
but it would be dangerous to apply what has been observed 
at the extremity of the tropical zone, to whatmai' take place 
in the plains near the equator. In order to ivctify those 
errors, it is important that the mean temperature of the 
year and months be well known, as also the thermometric 
oscillations in difl'ereut seasons at the parallel of the 
