CLIMATE. On the whole the climate of Korea is salubrious. It greatly resembles that of the opposite coast of China. This is especially true of the central and northern parts, where the winters are severe and the rivers freeze over. Snow covers the country from the middle of December until the end of February. In the south the skies are generally bright, and the early winter is as delightful as in .Japan. The middle and late summer is rainy and hot. The temperature ranges from 5° F. in winter to 90° F. in July, with a summer average of about 75° F. The average annual rainfall is :36 inches; the average of the rainy season (June to Sep tembe•) 22 inches. In 1898 it was 251,4 inches, while in 1901 it was only 4.1 inches, resulting in a famine.
FuntA. The flora is not extensive, nor is it brilliant in color. Azaleas, rhododendrons, cle matis, and .1 mpelopsis leitchii are found every where. Much timber is grown in the northern mountains, and there is a large lumbering indus try. There are several species of pine, fir, oak, and maple. The lime, ash, hireh. mountain ash,
dryandra (o• wood-oil tree), willow. hornbeam, and bamboo are common to Korea, Manehuria, and North China, and the Broussonct in papyri tem, or 'paper mulberry,' is much cultivated. The fruits include the plum, peach, apple, pear, etc., of the Chinese varieties. Ginseng (Aralia gain quefolia) is a Government monopoly, and large fields of it are grown.
FAtx.v. The animals include the tiger, leopard. boar, antelope, and several species of deer, fox, badger, tiger-cat, squirrel, beaver, otter, marten, and sable: the wolf appears to be wanting. Among birds are the black eagle, peregrine, hawk, kite, egret, crane, kestrel, the white and the pin ibis, heron, crow, magpie, kingfisher, wood lark, oriole, thl'ush, and cuckoo, pheasant, goose, teal, mallard, mandarin duck, and turkey buz zard. The native horse is no bigger than a Shetland pony, while the ox is of immense size.