
METEOROLOGICAL NOTES DURING THE YEAR 1897. LOT 
development of the flowers, but causing the blooms to drop 
quickly. The crops of fruits were irregular, and generally below 
the average. 
_ The withering effects of the cold winds, which were so apparent 
on arboreal vegetation, were less marked on grass lands, owing to 
the frequency of showers, which supplied them with the necessary 
moisture, consequently the growth, though slow, was steady, and 
there was a full crop of hay; while the cereals made not only a 
steady and satisfactory growth, but the grain developed well, so 
that the crops were, though later than in the previous year, better 
in bulk and quality. The green crops were a fair average, excepting 
potatoes, which were under in bulk and quality owing, no doubt, 
to the absence of sunshine and warmth which is so essential to the 
growth of that useful and indispensable vegetable. 
As indicated, the growth made by trees and shrubs was less 
satisfactory than usual, The prospects of a bright display, there- 
fore, in our woodlands is not great, and rarely is there such a 
paucity of flower-buds on Rhododendrons and similar shrubs as 
there is this season, Deciduous plants are somewhat better than 
the evergreens, but in this district, so far as can be observed, they 
are not very well set with flower-buds, consequently there is little 
promise of a fine display of bloom on fruit trees, though it does 
- not always follow that a great amount of bloom means a heavy 
crop of fruit, as much depends on the quality of the weather when 
the trees are in bloom for the proper setting of the fruit. 
Though our hopes for a season of brilliant sunshine and genial 
weather were not fulfilled last year, we can again express the hope 
‘that the current year will have these desirable conditions, so that 
in stimulating the vegetation, which in our smoky atmosphere has 
@ severe struggle for existence, the comfort and health of the 
citizens will be likewise enhanced. 
Subjoined is the Meteorological Record for the last three years 
as kept at Queen’s Park, and the averages for the last twelve years. 
