COUNTIES OF ELGIN AND NAIRN. 



13 



poignant north and north-easterly winds sweeping over these 

 counties are somewhat severe upon both animal and vegetable 

 life, but generally the climate in Moray and Nairn is healthy. 

 In fact, in the seaboard parts, it is believed to exercise a 

 medicinal effect on the constitutions of weak people. The 

 most unequivocal proof of the remarkable mildness and 

 geniality of the temperature in the " Laigh of Moray" is afforded 

 by the fact that apricots, nectarines, and peaches ripen on walls 

 in the open air. In the upland districts both seedtime and 

 harvest are often late, but in the lower districts harvest usuallv 

 commences early in the season. Winter wheat is sown in the 

 end of autumn, and spring varieties in the month of February. 

 Barlev and oats are sown durin^^ the first half of the month of 

 March in the later localities, but not quite so early in the earlier 

 climes. In ordinary years, reaping is the leading operation in 

 the end of August and the first of September. I am obliged to 

 Mr Webster, gardener, Gordon Castle, for the following extract 

 from his notes, taken there for the long period of thirty-one 

 years, the object of observation being intended as an indication 

 of earliness or lateness of the season at the time taken. The 

 apricot trees, from which the notes are set down, are growing 

 against a south wall of brick, and 14 feet high, free and open to 

 all changes of weather, and the dates were the days on which the 

 first full expanded flower was seen. Mr Webster proceeds — " It 

 will be seen from the subjoined statement, that the blossom was 

 open in 1874 seven days earlier than in 1882, and one day 

 earlier than in the year 1869. Mignonette survived the winter 

 in 1874, and continued flowering through the following summer. 

 Lilacs and horse chestnuts in flower 2oth April, while hawthorn 

 blossom open 2nd of May; and in the same year apricots were 

 ripe at 22nd July, thus showing that the mild winter and early 

 spring were followed by a warm summer. 



