. Europe and other continents . TheAlpine ranges curve around in northwestern Italy andjoin the Appen-nines, which ex-tend the entirelength of thepeninsula andform its verybackbone. Theprincipal low-lands, therefore,are the narrowcoastal plainsand the Povalley. We think ofItaly as a sunnyland of flowers, although Milan and Venice are on nearly the same parallelas Montreal. One reason for the pleasant climate is thatthe lofty Alps form a great wall which cuts off the coldnorth winds. Another reason is that the peninsula isunder the equalizing influence of the Mediterranean, whosewaters have a t
. Europe and other continents . TheAlpine ranges curve around in northwestern Italy andjoin the Appen-nines, which ex-tend the entirelength of thepeninsula andform its verybackbone. Theprincipal low-lands, therefore,are the narrowcoastal plainsand the Povalley. We think ofItaly as a sunnyland of flowers, although Milan and Venice are on nearly the same parallelas Montreal. One reason for the pleasant climate is thatthe lofty Alps form a great wall which cuts off the coldnorth winds. Another reason is that the peninsula isunder the equalizing influence of the Mediterranean, whosewaters have a temperature of over 50°. On these accountsthe Italian winters are mild, and in the extreme south thetemperature seldom falls to the freezing point. Much of Italy has an abundance of rain ; but, exceptingin the north, the greater part comes in winter. The sum-mer drought is due to the fact that the horse latitude beltmoves northward in summer (p. 34) ; therefore southernItaly at that season resembles southern Spain in Fig. Italian team at Naples. 312 EUROPE Italy has more rainfall than Spain, partly because it isfarther north and partly because of the differences in the high-lands. Notice (Fig. 172) that while nearly half of Spain issouth of the fortieth parallel, only the southern part of Italyreaches below that parallel. Therefore, the influence of thehorse latitudes is felt much less in Italy than in Spain. Welearned (p. 241) that the highlands of Spain caused the vaporof the ocean winds to condense on their slopes, and that theinterior was therefore dry. But the Appennine highlands ofItaly are near the centre, and thus cause rain on both sides ofthe peninsula. The slopes of the Alps likewise influence therain, causing the heaviest rainfall in the north. Thus inmany parts of Italy there is moisture enough for farming. Agriculture. — Such a climate, together with a fertilesoil, helps to explain why agriculture is the principalindustry in Italy. Among the pro
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