176 E. MAWLEY — PHENOIOGICAL PHENOMENA. 



became rapidly absorbed, and the ground was soon in as good a 

 working condition as before. Tbe longest interruption took place 

 in February, by which time the ground had become saturated to 

 some depth, when the frequent and heavy rains of the early part of 

 that month for a time stopped all further progress. The autumn- 

 sown cereals, owing to the general warmth of the soil and the 

 exceptionally sunny character of the winter, made steady and at 

 the same time sturdy growth. Another great advantage to the 

 farmer in this open season, considering how short had been the 

 yield of roots in the previous autumn, was the way in which the 

 grass in the pastures continued fresh and green throughout the 

 whole winter. 



In the gardens the mild season allowed many flowering plants to 

 continue much later in bloom than usual. Our Chesham observer, 

 for instance, noted that the large-flowered periwinkle remained in 

 blossom well into the new year. The last rose-bloom of the season 

 was destroyed by fi'ost in my garden on the last night but one of 

 1898, that is to say, twenty-four days later than the average 

 date of its destruction in the previous thirteen years, and later than 

 in any of those years except 1885 and 1894. The winter aconite 

 came into flower in the same garden on the 18th of January, which 

 is four days earlier than its average date of first flowering in the 

 previous ten years. The warm winter also greatly favoured the 

 winter supply of green vegetables. 



The ch'ought of the previous year had penetrated the ground to 

 such an unusual depth that it was only after the best transplanting 

 month, November, was over that deep-rooting fi'uit and other trees 

 could be taken up and with safety planted in their new quarters. 



According to the returns received fi-om the observers, the hazel 

 first showed its fertile flowers, taking the county as a whole, five 

 days later than its average date in the pre^dous twenty-three years ; 

 while the coltsfoot was six days late. 



The song-thrush Avas first heard to sing after the new year two 

 days earlier than usual, whereas the honey-bee made its appearance 

 among flowers nineteen days behind its usual time. 



The Spring. 



This was rather a cold spring, and on one night in March the 

 exposed thermometer showed 22 degrees of frost. March was 

 a singularly dry month, but the rainfall for April and May taken 

 together was in excess of the mean. The sun shone during the 

 quarter on an average for five hours a day, which is slightly in 

 excess of the average for the season. 



Throughout March the soil remained in splendid condition for 

 working, and considerable progress was made in spring-sowing, but 

 the weather afterwards continued for a time so persistently wet 

 that the further cultivation of the land was frequently interrupted. 

 Owing to the generally low temperature and cold winds the corn 

 and grass made but slow, although on the whole satisfactoiy, 

 growth. 



