METEOROLOGICAL NOTES DURING THE TEAR 1901. 315 



average maximum temperature was 42° and the average mini- 

 mum 30°, which is 4° higher in each case than in the previous 

 February. 



The rainfall of the month was somewhat under the average, 

 and measured 1*40 inches. There were 21 dry days. 



The cold weather of the month kept the growth of vegetation 

 well in check. Narcissi, &c, were all showing well above the 

 ground, and winter aconite were profusely in flower, and dis- 

 played a fine contrast on lawns with the snowdrop. 



March. — This month opened with milder weather, but for the 

 first week was stormy, which culminated, on the 6th, in a gale of 

 wind and rain. During the following two weeks the atmospheric 

 conditions were bright and pleasant, but with a slight rainfall. 

 On the 23rd a change set in, and the weather became much colder. 

 Snow fell slightly during the night of the 25th, covering the 

 ground with a coating of white. The cold increased till the 29th, 

 when the thermometer showed 12° of frost at Queen's Park, 

 being the lowest reading since the year commenced. A heavy 

 fall of snow occurred on the 29th and 30th, and lay to a depth 

 of three inches. 



The barometric readings show a wide range of pressure. On 

 the 1st the barometer was at 28*60 inches, rising to 30*00 inches 

 on the 9th. From then till the 26th the pressure was more 

 steady, but from that date the tendency was downwards, falling 

 sharply from 29*46 on the 29th to 28*40 inches — one of the 

 lowest readings of the year — on the 30th, during the prevalence 

 of the snowstorm mentioned above. 



For the month the rainfall amounted to 2*06 inches, and there 

 were 21 dry days. 



The amount of frost recorded was 60° for 10 days, the lowest 

 reading being 20°, on the 29th— 12° of frost. 



The natural seasonable activity of vegetation was kept in 

 check by the cold and comparatively dry weather which pre- 

 vailed. Early spring flowers, however, made rapid progress, and 

 Crocuses bloomed profusely. 



April. — During the first two weeks of April the weather con- 

 tinued cold and of a rather wintry nature. A few degrees of 



