OBSERVED IN UEUTFORDSniKE IN 1898. 1 .'53 



the wholcsoiue chock they thiu iiccdccl in uicUt ti) enable them to 

 become more securely rooted ; the land coutinnod in admirable 

 order for sowinji- the sjiring crops ; while the grass, favoured by 

 the timely arrival of rain in ^[ay, grew so rapidly that the fields 

 were soon thickly covered with luxuriant herbage. 



The fruit-trees blossomed abundantly, but, owing to the cold 

 winds prevailing at the time, and no do\ibt also owing to the lack 

 of \-igour in the trees themselves due to the (by condition of the 

 subsoil, there was only in some localities a good set of fi'uit. 



The following notes of observation were received during the 

 quarter. Our Watford observer mentions early potatoes growing 

 in a sheltered position as having been blackened by frost on the 

 night preceding the 22nd of April. Mr. Willis gives April 4tli as 

 the date of the first frog spawn. At Berkhamsted one of the 

 most noteworthy features of the spring was the entire absence of 

 greenfly. 



Of the six spring floweiing plants on the list three came into 

 blossom rather earlier than usual, whereas the other three were 

 behind their mean dates. The blackthorn was three days early, 

 the garlic hedge-mustard three days early, and the hawthorn one 

 day early. On the other hand the wood-anemone was eight days 

 late, the horse-chestnut three days late, and the white ox-eye five 

 days late. 



The spring migi'ants were even more punctual than usual, the 

 swallow arii\"ing only three days late, while the cuckoo was only 

 one day late and the nightingale but three days late. 



So few obseiwcrs gave the dates for the wasp that I am unable 

 to say anything definite as to when it was first seen in the county 

 generally, and the same may be said of the meadow - brown 

 buttei'flj^. According to the four returns sent in, the small white 

 butterfly was five days late and the orange-tip butterfly four 

 days late. 



The Summer. 



June was a changeable month as regards temperature, but on 

 the whole cold. In July the day temperatures ruled high, while 

 those at night were as unseasonably low. In August, however, 

 the weather remained unusually warm throughout the month. 

 Taking the quarter as a whole, there was a very deficient rainfall, 

 and especially was this the case in July. In Jime there was 

 comparatively little sunshine, whereas July and August were 

 remarkably sunny months. 



The crop of hay proved an unusually heavy one, and, favoured 

 by the fine weather, was harvested in splenchd condition. The 

 cereals made excellent growth notwithstanding the scanty supplj- 

 of rain, but after the middle of July the di'ought began to be much 

 felt bj' all the other farm crops. The corn haiwest, like that of 

 hay, was a singularly abundant one, for not only was there 

 a remarkably good j'icld of grain but also a heavy crop of straw. 

 Except in those places where the corn had been beaten down by 



