19 



THE WEATHER OF 1886. 



Though not characterized by any extraordinary feature, the past year is still remark- 

 able for the severely cold weather of the first four months, and for the heavy rainfall of 

 May. 



Snow fell till the middle of April, and frosts continued to 3rd May. The mean 

 temperature of February was no less than 9"6" lower than that of the corresponding 

 month last year, and a difference on the same side existed between the same means 

 for the months of January, March, and April. The extreme severity of the Spring is 

 markedly shown by the effect on vegetation. From the following table of the times of 

 leafing and flowering during the last four years of the following plants, it will be seen 

 that plant life was retarded from one to seven weeks in comparison with 1885, which 

 itself had a late spring, as will be seen by comparing it with 1883 and 1884. 



Plant. 1883. 1884. 1885. 1886. 



Coltsfoot, flower Feb. 4 Feb. 10 Feb. 28. Mar. 6. 



Lesser Cei.andink, leaf — — Jan. 19. Mar. 6. 



Hawthorn, leaf Feb. 21 Feb. 17 Mar. 9 Mar. 28 



Violet, flower — Feb. 29 Mar. 14 April 3 



Primrose, flower Feb. 13 Feb. 29 Mar. 15 April 3 



Doci's Mercury, flower Feb. 16 Jan. 26 Feb. 21 April 4 



This table, it should be mentioned, has been compiled from the observations of the 

 Rev. C. F. Thornewill, Mr. T. Gibbs, and Mr. V. W. Andrews, in addition to 

 those of myself. 



Compared with the two previous years the summer was cold, the mean temperatures 

 of none of the months comprised in that period attaining io the heights of those twn 

 former years. The Autumn, on the contrary, was warm, each month having a mean 

 temperature higher than that of the same months of 18S5, October, indeed, being marked 

 by a difference of 6"6. 



The first frost of the Winter was on the 23rd September, three days earlier than the 

 preceding year. In spite, however, of this forecast of a severe winter, there was not 

 a single frost during October, and only seven during November. With the beginning 

 of December the aspect of the scene was altered, severe frosts commenced their reign, 

 and even on the third night the low temejierature of 16 degrees was recorded. 



In spite of these deviations from the ordinary run, the mean temperature does not 

 materially diflfer from the mean of the last few years. 



In liie rainfall, however, the past year possesses its chief remarkable feature. It has 

 been the wettest year since the wet year of 1882, when 38 inches fell, and its amount 

 exceeds that of the previous year by 579 inches, and the mean of the past 12 years 



