350 THE CEREAL AND OTHER CROPS OF SCOTLAND FOR 1883, 



neiglibourliood of Edinburgli, where it fully exceeded a degree ; 

 and the greatest deficiency in the north-west, where it nearly 

 equalled a degree. This is now the third month when the 

 temperature differed but little from the average over Scotland. 



The rainfall \vas 0*84 inch above the average, which was 

 wholly caused by the excessive rainfall of the west. To the 

 east of a line drawn from Duncansbay Head near Dunrobin, 

 Nairn, Braemar, Dundee, Edinburgh, and Milne-Graden, the 

 rainfall was under the average, but to the west above it. Tn 

 these tW'O divisions the differences were most striking, — the 

 deficiency in the counties of Berwick, East Lothian, Kincardine, 

 Aberdeen, and Banff being a half to three-fourths the average ; 

 whilst, on the other hand, in the west from Cape Wrath to 

 Galloway, the excess in most cases was at least a half more than, 

 and in a few" instances double, the average. Tn this month 

 westerly winds prevailed seven days above the mean, and hence 

 the heavy rains of the west, and the remarkably dry weather at 

 the more easterly stations. This dry open weather enabled 

 ploughing and other agricultural operations to be pushed well 

 forward in the important agricultural districts in the east. 



December. — Tn this month, temperature was 1°"5 above the 

 average, the nights being relatively warmer that the days. The 

 distribution of temperature was unequal in the different 

 districts. In Skye and the region immediately surrounding, it 

 was very slightly under the mean, but above it in all other 

 districts. The greatest excess was in the south, but particularly 

 in inland situations south of the Grampians, where at a number 

 of places the w^eather was fully 2° warmer than usual. This 

 was the mildest December since 1868, The mildness being due 

 to the continued prevalence of strong westerly winds, accompany- 

 ing the heavy storms that swept eastwards in tracks lying to 

 the north of the islands; of these the storm of the 11th was 

 very severe, ranking among the most destructive of recent years 

 both on sea and land. In certain districts the destruction to 

 growling timber was without precedent and it deserves to be 

 noticed that the trees were blown down precisely in the same 

 direction. 



The rainfall was fully half an inch under the average. 

 The manner of its distribution closely resembles that of 

 November — the difference being that it was less heavy in the 

 west, it did not penetrate so far to the east, and consequently 

 over the wdiole of the eastern slopes, with Clydesdale and 

 Galloway in addition, the weather was mild and dry ; and as 

 frost w^as nearly absent, it was eminently favourable for the 

 vigorous prosecution of agricultural operations. 



In the lower lying districts, from North Berwick to Greenock, 

 harvest began generally about the usual time ; but in other parts 



