RKMAKKS ON TEMPERAT0RE, VKGETATIOX, ETC. 27 



was a little below the average ; from the latter date 

 to and including the 20th the temperature was high, 

 09° being the maximum and 63° the minimum for 

 the nine days. The i*ainfall was light until the 

 ■evening of the 18th, when a severe thunderstorm 

 was experienced, which was repeated with still 

 greater severity on the afternoon of the 19th. 

 A storm of such severity has been of very rare 

 •occurrence in this country. Hailstones covered the 

 ground here, and were almost as large as marbles 

 used by children at play. Professor Grant of the 

 Glasgow Observatory reported at the time that the 

 rainfall within one hour amounted to three-quarters 

 of an inch, and exceeded any rainfall in the same 

 space of time recorded in the annals of his observa- 

 tory, with the exception of the memorable rainfall 

 of 31st August, 1887. Vegetation developed most 

 rapidly during the month, making considerable 

 amends for a backward spring. Hardy trees and 

 shrubs of all kinds were very prolific of bloom. 



During June the mean temperature, especially in 

 the shade, was very low, while the temperature iu 

 the sun was correspondingly high, particularly after 

 the di'v weather set in on the I3th ; but owing to the 

 continuous east and north-east winds the powerful 

 sun-heat was little felt. Both hardy and half-hardy 

 plants were stunted in growth; even the foliage of 

 the common deciduous trees was smaller than usual, 

 but their fruit was more abundant. 



July was one of the most sunless, wet, and cold 

 «ver recorded here for that month. On the few days 

 recorded as fine, north and north-east winds pre- 

 vailed. The highest temperature registered in the 

 shade was 71° on the 19tli ; the lowest was 51° on 

 the 28th. The vicissitudes to which our climate 

 occasionally exposes us have seldom been more 

 strikingly exemplified than in the great contrast 

 which has existed between our recent weather and 

 that of last summer. No wonder half-hardy plants, 

 natives of sunny climes, looked so miserable, when the 



