OBSERVED IN HERTFORDSHIRE IN 1906. 87 



day earlier than its average date in the previous thirteen years. 

 At Berth amsted there was no measurable percolation through 

 my bare soil gavige during the six weeks ending August 27th, 

 which shows how dry the soil must have become during the 

 latter part- of that period. 



Taking the county as a whole, the plants on the list which 

 flower during the summer months in most cases came into 

 blossom within a day or two of their average dates. The dog- 

 rose was one day early, the black knapweed two days late, the 

 harebell eight days late, and the greater bindweed two days 

 early. 



The Autumn. 



This was the coldest autumn for eighteen years. The three 

 months were all cold, and in October the mean temperature was 

 exceptionally low. The rainfall proved light during September 

 and October, but was rather in excess of the avei-age during 

 November. Taking the season as a whole, there was an average 

 deficiency in bright sunshine at Berkhamsted of about ten 

 minutes a day. 



Throughout September and October the ploughing of arable 

 land proceeded with but little hindrance from rain ; indeed, the 

 ground was at times, if ami:hing, too dry. The winter cereals 

 were in most cases well sown, but the seed-bed aif orded them was 

 not so perfect as in the previous autvimn, for the land was at 

 first rather too dry, and, on the other hand, from the end of 

 October until the close of the season too wet. The root crops 

 greatly improved diu-iug this autumn, and by the end of 

 November had made surprising growth, considering how 

 unfavourable most of the late spring and summer weather had 

 been for them. The grass in the pastvires likewise improved, 

 and remained green and fresh during the whole of the autumn. 



All went well in the garden until a cold period set in towards 

 the end of October, when on eleven successive nights there 

 occurred frosts of more or less exceptional severity for the time 

 of year. On the coldest of these nights, that preceding the 17tli, 

 dahlias and other tender plants were cut to the ground. During 

 this season the vegetables in the kitchen garden, owing to the 

 cold weather, made only moderate growth ; there, however, 

 remained at the close of it a fairly good supply for winter use. 



Our new observer at St. Albans reports that in October 

 mangolds and swedes were, as a rule, unusually large, and that 

 on the 17tli of that month nasturtiums, heliotropes, and other 

 tender plants were killed by frost. 



Mr. Willis's remarks as regards the root crops at Eothamsted 

 are of special interest, owing to their singularly varied career in 

 1905. He says : The early-sown mangolds did the best, as they 

 liecame established before the unfavourable weather arrived, 

 whereas it was the late-sown swedes which proved the most 

 satisfactory. The early-sown swedes, on the other hand, became 



