320 THE CEREAL AND OTHER CROPS OF SCOTLAND FOR 1887, 



During 1886 the sunshine was 199 under the average, but in 

 1887 only 46 hours. As regards, however, the growing months 

 of the year, from April to October, the contrast these years 

 offer was much more striking. Thus, while in 1886 there was 

 a deficiency during these seven months of 140 hours of sun- 

 shine, in 1887 the sunshine slightly exceeded the average. 



The temperature of the year was about, and in some districts 

 slightly above, the average over a rather broadish tract extend- 

 ing in a south-westerly direction from Buchanness to the Mull 

 of Kintyre. To the north of this temperatures steadily fell 

 from the averages till in Shetland the deficiency was about a 

 degree ; and to the south temperatures also fell, but to a much 

 greater degree, below the average over England and Ireland. 

 In central and south-eastern Ireland the deficiency was a degree 

 and a halt" : and in England, south of the Trent, the deficiency 

 over large breadths amounted to two deg-rees and a half 



January. — The mean temperature of the month was 37°'5 

 or half a degree above the mean, the excess being chiefly occa- 

 sioned by the relatively milder nights. To the north of the 

 Forth and Clyde, temperature was everywhere above the aver- 

 age, the excess, particularly in inland districts, rising to 1°'5 and 

 2°'0 ; whereas in the south, temperature was under the average, 

 the deficiency on the Solway coasts amounting to, or even 

 exceeding, Yo. Thus Dunrobin, on the Moray Firth, was 8°'7 

 relatively warmer than Wolfelee on the Cheviot Hills. 



The rainfall was 3'25 inches, being 0'81 inch less than the 

 average. Its distribution was very unequal. In Skye, the Long 

 Island, Orkney, and Shetland, it was generally from a fourth to 

 a third above the average. On the other hand, in the east, 

 from Cromarty to the Grampians, and over the whole of Scot- 

 land south of the Grampians, it was under the average, the 

 deficiency being greatest from Inverness to the Spe}^ and from 

 the Tay to the Cheviots. At Stobo, the defect from the average 

 was 71 per cent. ; at Leith, 64 ; at North Esk Reservoir, 63 ; 

 and at Culloden, 62. 



February. — The mean temperature was 39°-7, or l°-3 above 

 the average, the days being 2'''0 and the nights 0°'6 warmer 

 than usual. Except the district in the south marked off by a 

 line passing from Wolfelee round by Drumlanrig, Glenlee, and 

 Dumfries, where the means were about half a degree under the 

 average, temperatures were everywhere in excess of the mean, 

 the greatest excess being at stations near the Grampians, where 

 it amounted to 3°"6. This high temperature was continued 

 northward through Orkney and Shetland. The lower tempera- 

 tures which ruled in Galloway were continued southward, and in 

 the Isle of Wight the month was 2"'0 under the average. 



The rainfall was 2"46 inches, or a fourth of an inch under the 



