Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume VIII, No. 5 [‎59r] (120/154)

THE MONTHLY RECORD.
519-
iicw expedition to 100,000 kroner, while now, the balloon being in working order,,
the costs of a new expedition would not exceed 53,000 kroner, provided that the"
next year’s expedition is taken to Spitzbergen on board a ship of the Swedish
navy. Mr. Andree fully believes in the possibility of such an expedition, if only
the balloon-house is ready earlier in the summer. There was no lack of southern
winds in the earlier part of the stay at Danes’ Islands. This year’s expedition is not
quite fruitless. It has proved the possibility of a balloon being filled in Spitzbergen,
and of a pigeon-post being established between Spitzbergen and the Continent,
while astronomical, magnetic, and meteorological observations were made, as well
as geological explorations under Prof. De Geers, and hydro-geographical measure
ments under Prof. Arrhenius. At the same time Mr. Grboberg has made good
natural history collections.
MATHEMATICAL AND PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY.
Vertical Distribution of Snow Plants and Habitations. —Two papers
on vertical distribution, by pupils of Prof. Ratzel, appear in the second volume
of the Wissenscliaftliche Veruffentlichungen des Vereins fur Erdkunde zu Leipzig.
Dr. Magnus Fritzsch gives the following figures (English feet) as the results of his
survey of the Ortler Alps:—
Exposure.
x.w.
I
w. s.w.
1
S.
S.E.
E.
N.E.
X.
Mean.
Snow-line, climatic...
9510
9840 10,070
10,130
9780
9750
9370
9360
9720
„ orographic
8380
8620 9000
9040
8940
8630
8420
3310
8630
Trees
'-620
7420 7600
7350
7410
7340
7110
7280
7390
Woods
7000
7070 7080
6990
6960
6960
6640
6890
6950
Shepherds’ huts
—
6675 7680
7150
7410
7070
7310
6880
7180
Cattle-tenders’ huts...
—
6540 7070
6670
6290
6290
5760
6040
6400
Meadow hay
5290
5700 6920
6510
5840
5630
5670
4840
5800
Cereals
3960
4660 5390
5340
5120
4i 60
4020
4080
4560
Permanent habitations
3890
4930 5460
5200
4920
4120
3860
2760
4520
The south-western and western slopes of the mountains are the most favourably
situated, as is indicated by the bolder figures, which show the maximum height of
each line ; while the figures in italics, denoting the lowest position of each line, are
found for the north-eastern and northern slopes. The orographic snow-line is
“ the line which joins the wreaths of snow protected by their position and the
nature of the surrounding ground.’’ It is interesting to compare these figures with
those obtained by Dr. Hupfer for Etna. In summer some wreaths of snow lie on
the mountain, as they do on Ben Nevis in our own country, although its summit is
below the climatic snow-line. On Etna, in 1893, there were five small snow-wreaths
on the north-west, north, and north-east of the summit plateau, between 9000 and
9900 feet. Dr. Hupfer gives the vertical zones of the mountain as follows:—
(5) Snow-wreath region.
(a) Pasture region (8850 feet).
(6) Summer-green or birch region (65G0 feet).
(a) Ever-green or pine region (6070 feet).
(5) Summer-green cultivated plants, and upper limits of agri
cultural region (5080 feet).
(a) Ever-green cultivated plants, and upper limits of the olive
1 (2620 feet).
It would appear that the forest limit is somewhat lower on Etna than on the
Ortler Alps, while agricultural operations are carried on only about 500 feet
III. Waste region
II. Forest region
I. Cultivated region