People considering a change of residence or a vacation trip are always interested in the climate of the locality attracting their attention, for they know that absolute contentment in any clime, even for a brief period, is impossible without a friendly attitude on the part of the elements. So many regions seem to have been permanently blighted by conditions opposed to human happiness, or at least to have been forgotten in certain important essentials when Nature was passing round her favors.

The state of Washington, however, received a full share of climatic blessings as well as scenic beauties. Without extremes either of heat or cold its climate is as temperate as that of southern England—a most remarkable fact when one realizes that its latitude is higher than that of the state of Maine and its northern boundary line corresponds to that of North Dakota and Minnesota. Such equability is caused chiefly by the protecting mountains and their dense forests together with the breezes blowing direct from the ocean and warmed by the mysterious Japan Current.

So uniform is the general temperature, excepting in the mountainous regions, that the same weight of clothing is by many found sufficient the year round. In every section there is a long growing season and only a short mild winter, known on the west side as the "rainy season." There is never danger from blizzards or intense "cold waves," for these are deflected to the country east of the Rockies. Trees retain their green foliage the year round; in most parts there is usually some pasture available every month; and in certain sections many varieties of flowers will be found blooming outdoors in January. Cattle may be turned loose almost any day in the year and the farmer is saved the necessity of spending all his summer's profits in order that his livestock will not starve during a long cold period. The lowest monthly normal temperature, as deduced from a period of years, is for Seattle, 39°; Spokane, 27°; and Walla Walla, 33°. Contrast these with the normal temperatures of the following cities for the same month: Duluth, 10°; St. Paul, 12°; Des Moines, 20°; and Chicago, 24°.

The summers may be considered ideal. A breeze is generally stirring. There are no sunstrokes, for even in the warmest parts the dryness of the atmosphere favors evaporation. The nights are everywhere cool. When millions in other climes are rolling about in their torturous beds, struggling for the relief that sleep alone can impart, the Washingtonian doffs his clothes, tucks himself comfortably between his cozy quilts, and is soon wafted into the land of nod from which he awakes in the morning refreshed and ready for life's battle.

MEAN MONTHLY AND SUMMER TEMPERATURE OF WASHINGTON
CITIES COMPARED WITH THAT OF OTHER U. S. CITIES.

June July Aug. Sep. Sum'r
Puget Sound District5762615759
Seattle6064635861
Tacoma5863635760
Spokane6369685965
Chicago6672716468
New York City6974736670
Boston6672706368
Washington, D. C.7377756873
Philadelphia7276746872

The summers, too, are particularly free from excessive rainfall, such as discomforts the people in eastern cities during those months and causes so many disappointments; for 80 per cent of our precipitation occurs between October 15th and May 15th, and 75 per cent between sunset and sunrise, so that the pleasures of the day are seldom marred.

The heaviest fall of moisture occurs on the mountain slopes while the valleys, where the people make their homes, have no more than enough to produce a vigorous plant growth. The average for the year on Puget Sound is about the same as in Chicago and only three-fourths as much as in New York or Boston. The Cascade Mountains prevent as high a precipitation in the eastern counties where it corresponds more to that of California.