NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 215 



a dripping month, there being 3 37 inches of rain, and only 15 dry 

 days. The average temperature was G 1 •49°. During August we 

 had 4-58 inches of rain, and 13 fine days. The maximum 

 temperature was 64° and the minimum 49". There was nothing 

 special to note in temperature, <fec, for September, October, and 

 November. Fortunately these months proved the most favourable 

 of the year, which enabled farmers to secure their crops, and 

 promoted the maturing of wood and flower-buds upon trees and 

 shrubs. December commenced with severe frost. The thermo- 

 meter registered 20° on the 4th, but towards the close of the 

 month the weather became dry and mild. On the 22nd there 

 were in flower in the Parks Christmas Roses, Violas of sorts, the 

 Daisy, the Buttercup, and Poa annua. The two last-mentioned 

 were also observed in George Square. There were in all 22 dry 

 days, and the average temperature was 36 "29°. 



The coldest day of the year was December 4th, when the 

 thermometer registered 20° of frost; and the warmest dav Julv 

 28th, on which we had 78° in the shade. The average temperature 

 for the year was 48*37°, as compared with 53*39° in 1878. The 

 total rainfall was 30*93 inches, as against 26*18 inches in the 

 previous year. 



In summing up with a few general remarks upon the state of 

 vegetation during the past year, I may notice that, consequent 

 upon the severe spring, crops of all kinds were from four to six 

 weeks later than usual. The Christmas Rose, which should have 

 been in flower in December, 1878, only bloomed at the Queen's 

 Park on February 24th; the Snowdrop appeared on March 1st, and 

 the Crocus on the 20th of same month. The Lilac flowered on June 

 Tih, the Laburnum on June 11th, and the Hawthorn on June 16th. 

 Summer, or bedding-out plants, were almost a complete failure, 

 with the exception of Violas; but this remark does not apply to 

 those in the carpet beds, which proved fairly successful. Trees 

 and shrubs made weak and sickly growths, and neither the wood 

 nor flower-buds have been thoroimhlv matured to withstand the 

 severe winter which we are now experiencing. 



Referring to the injury sustained by trees and shrubs during the 

 winter and spring, 1878-79, 1 am glad to observe that they have 

 not suffered materially in the neighbourhood of Glasgow. The 

 covering of snow which remained upon the ground during the 

 hardest frost afforded partial protection; nevertheless, at Kelvin- 



