









METEOROLOGICAL NOTES DURING THE YEAR 1896. TEL 
and shrubs, though the dry weather in May militated against the 
setting of fruits, and consequently the crops of large fruits were 
under the average in various parts of the country. 
Although the grass lands suffered somewhat by the drought of 
May, the rains and warmth of June rapidly restored them, and 
there was an excellent crop of hay, which was generally secured 
in good condition. The cereals, which likewise were bulky in 
crop, were harvested with difficulty and frequently in bad con- 
dition, owing to unfavourable weather in September and October. 
The grain was consequently in many cases seriously damaged. 
As already stated, the growth made by trees and shrubs during 
the season was of exceptional quality; and, in the case of deci- 
duous sorts, there is every prospect of an excellent display of 
bloom in orchard and woodland for the ensuing season. The open 
wet weather of autumn, however, caused a secondary growth on 
many evergreen shrubs, and, as these growths are soft and succu- 
lent, their condition to resist frost is of a less satisfactory nature. 
It may be noted that, in the case of Rhododendrons, some varieties 
are unusually well set with flower buds whilst others are unusually 
barren. In our notes for 1895 we remarked that in the Parks 
_many old plants were seriously crippled by the severe frosts of 
that year. In many instances the growth made since then has 
been so weak, showing that the vitality of the plants had gone, 
that we have been reluctantly forced to clear them away entirely. 
Subjoined is the Meteorological Record for the last three years, 
as kept at Queen’s Park, and the averages for the last twelve 
years. 
