304 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



March was also a mild, moist month, and many more plants 

 appeared in flower. Among them were the hyacinths, daffodil, 

 hybrid rhododendrons, coltsfoot, Scilla sibirica, Riles sanguined, 

 and BuTbocodiwn vernvm, while a number of trees and shrubs 

 were nearly in leaf. Only 6° of frost were registered during four 

 mornings; and the average temperature was 43°, as compared 

 with 35° in the corresponding month of the previous year. The 

 total rainfall during the month was 3 - 05 inches, and there was no 

 rain on 12 days. Winds were prevalent from the south-west. 



April commenced with cold east winds, which continued during 

 almost all the month ; and as vegetation was very far advanced, 

 owing to the mildness of the weather during the first three months 

 of the year, it received a rather severe check. The horse-chestnuts 

 suffered especially, and lost all the young tender leaves which had 

 burst out in the beginning of the month. The white rhododen- 

 drons were in magnificent bloom during the first week of this 

 month, but were entirely blighted on the evening of the 10th, 

 when the thermometer fell below the freezing-point. The average 

 temperature was 43° — the same as in the preceding month — and 

 9° of frost were, in all, registered. The rainfall was comparatively 

 small, being only 1-99 inches, and there was no rain on 21 days. 



May came in, as the saying is, " like a lion, and went out like a 

 lamb." The first fortnight of the month was very cold, and there 

 were many heavy showers of sleet and hail which materially 

 injured and retarded vegetation. But towards the end of the 

 month the weather was much warmer and finer, which, to a certain 

 extent, counterbalanced the bad effects of the first half of the 

 month. This is the month during which many of the flowering 

 trees and shrubs come into bloom, and the double cherry, thorns, 

 lilacs, and laburnums gave a pcor display of blossom. The oak 

 came into leaf on the 8th and the ash on the 18th — these being 

 the latest of our trees to put forth their leaves. The temperature 

 averaged 50°, the total rainfall was 2*041 inches, and the dry days 

 numbered 17. The prevalent winds during the first half of the 

 month were from the north-east, and during the last half from the 

 south-west. 



June may be characterised as a genial, growing month, during 

 which all vegetation made very rapid progress, and flowers were 

 promising a good display of bloom for the month of August. Eain 

 fell more or less on 18 days during the month, giving a total rain- 



