49 



The mean daily range varies from 8 •4° in December, to nearly 16° 

 in May, June, and July. The greatest range observed in any one month 

 was S3*8° in August, 1869; and the greatest range in twenty-four hours 

 was 41 "0° also in August, 1869, (from 45*9° to 86'9°). 



The occurence of low night temperatures in the spring months is of 

 much importance to the agriculturalist, from the injurious effects they 

 have upon young and tender vegetation of all kinds. 



From Table V., it will be seen that the thermometer in the shade was 

 at or below the freezing point in ten years out of fifteen in April, and in 

 nine years of the fifteen in May, and 32.1° in another year. 



It has never been observed so low as 32° at night in June, in the 

 shade at four feet above the ground ; but on June 2nd, 1864, it registered 

 34-2°, and on June 12th, 1874, as low as 34"i° (only 2° and a fraction 

 above it). 



The thermometer on the grass has frequently been down to the 

 freezing point in June. This has occurred in seven out of fifteen Junes ; 

 and of course this low temperature on the grass will act very injuriously on 

 any low growing plant or germinating seed, although plants of a taller 

 growth may escape its influence. 



The highest summer temperatures recorded (in the shade) were : — 



89-4° on July 25th, 1870. 

 89-3° on Aug. 4th, 1868. 

 89-1° on July 22nd, 1873. 



Whilst the lowest in winter was 4*9°, on December c8th, 1869. 



In the direct rays of the sun, the blackened bulb thermometer, in 

 vacuo, registered i39"8 in July, 1867 — this being the highest observed. 

 Whilst in December, 1869, the minimum thermometer on the grass 

 registered — 3-0" (below zero). 



These are the extremes of temperature that occurred during the 

 fifteen years. But I believe that on the 24th December, i860, a year 

 before the systematic observations were commenced, the thermometer 

 was down to, or even a little below zero, in the shade. 



The extreme range of temperature in the shade, may therefore be 

 assumed to be about 90°. It rarely occurs that the summer heat exceeds 



