350 Ihe Weather of the Past Agricultural Year. 



The greatest cold occurred at various times between February 

 2 and 5, when the thermometer in the screen fell to 10" or less 

 in many parts of England, and slightly below zero in central 

 Scotland. On the surface of the ground readings below zero 

 were reported also in scattered parts of inland England. On 

 the 6th a rapid thaw took place, and for the remainder of the 

 month mild southerly and south-westerly winds prevailed 

 very commonly, the thermometer being, as a rule, considerably 

 al)Ove its average level. The highest temperatures of the winter 

 occurred on the two closing days, when the thermometer 

 touched 60° in many parts of the country and reached 61" at 

 Minehead. 



For the season, as a whole, the mean temperature was 

 everywhere above the average, and in the eastern and south- 

 eastern parts of England the excess was considerable. Rainfall 

 was unusually frequent, and in most English districts the total 

 for the winter amounted to at least half as much again as the 

 average. In the midland counties the excess was as much as 

 68 per cent., and in the south-east it was no less than 78 per 

 cent. Bright sunshine was fairly abundant in December, but 

 very deficient in January and February. The amount for the 

 whole winter was therefore below the normal. Over the 

 eastern and south-eastern parts of England the loss amounted 

 on an average to about half an hour per day. 



The Spring of 1912. 



The spring season opened with a continuance of the mild 

 unsettled weather which had prevailed, with little interruption, 

 throughout the winter months. 



In March there was a large predominance of winds from 

 the south-westward, and in many parts of central and southern 

 England the month was the mildest on record. Owing, how- 

 ever, to the general cloudiness of the weather the day tempera- 

 tures were seldom very high, the only shade readings exceeding 

 60" lieing observed between the 25th and 27tb, when the 

 thermometer rose to t)2" or 61V' in many parts of the country, 

 and touched 64" at Chelmsford. The cloud canopy which shut 

 off the heating effect of the sun's rays served also as an effectual 

 check on nocturnal radiation, and, in comparison with the 

 average, the nights were much warmer than the days. The 

 only frosts of any consequence occurred between the 20th and 

 2ord, when the sheltered thermometer fell to between 27" and 

 29" in many parts of the country, the readings on the grass 

 being slightly below 20" in some parts of the midland and 

 northern counties. Rain was frequent, and in the west and 

 south often very heavy, the total for the month amounting to 

 three times as much as the average at Swarraton (Hants), to 



