188G.] MErKOROLOGY. 575 



Meteorology. 



AT a meeting of the Botanical Society lield last month, Mr. 

 Eobert Lindsay reported on the progress of vegetation at 

 the Koyal Botanic Gardens for the mouth of November, as follows : 

 A series of low readings of the thermometer were registered from 

 tlie loth till the lOtli of the month. Since then open-air vege- 

 tation had gradually declined, and at the end of the month had 

 nearly reached its lowest ebb. On nine occasions the thermometer 

 fell below the freezing-point, indicating collectively 65 degs. of 

 frost, as against 64 degs. for the corresponding month last year. 

 The lowest readings were — on the 15th, 23 degs. ; 16th, 19 degs.; 

 17th, 18 degs.; 18th, 15 degs.; and 19th, 28 degs. The highest 

 morning readings were — on the 3rd, 56 degs.; 7th, 51 degs. ; 8th, 

 48 degs. ; and 27th, 45 degs. The lowest day temperature was 

 31 degs., on the 17th, and the highest 63 degs., on the 3rd. The 

 rainfall was very light, there being no less than twenty-two dry 

 days during the month, liain fell more or less daily from the 25th 

 till the 29 th. Very few plants were in flower out of doors. On 

 the rock garden only one species came into flower — viz., Croats 

 hadriuticus ; and with the exception of Jasminum nudijiorum and 

 Hamarnelis virginica, which came into flower in other parts of the 

 garden, no others were observed as having come into blossom during 

 November. Although there were still a few left which had opened 

 previously, vegetation generally had gone sooner to rest than was 

 the case last year, and there were fewer plants in flower. This 

 result was mainly due to the distribution of cold having been 

 different. The aggregate amount of frost registered was nearly the 

 same as that in the corresponding month last year. Still, the individual 

 minimum readings were lower in consequence of the distribution of 

 frost having been confined to a less area, which showed that in dealing 

 with this subject average temperatures were apt to be misleading. 



Obituary. 



WE regret to have to announce the death of Mr. James T. Allan, 

 at Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A. Mr. Allan was a well-known 

 writer on agricultural and horticultural subjects. He wrote a book 

 entitled Forests and Orchards, which excited much favourable com- 

 ment, and old readers of Forestry/ will leinember many contributions 

 from his pen appearing in these pages. For several years he has 

 been superintendent of tree-planting on the Union Pacific Eailroad 

 and has done effective work in that direction. 



