NOTtiS AND REMARKS UPON THE -WEATHER. 201 



in all. The average maximum temperature was 4:i°, and the 

 average minimum 36°, compared with 42° and 33° respectively 

 for December, 1906. 



Owing to the absence of hurtful frosts and the heavy rains 

 vegetation at the close of the year was cleaner and brighter 

 than usual. Too frequently at this season shrubs in the vicinity 

 of the city are heavily coated with a sooty deposit which is 

 inimical to their well-doing in every sense. Grass lands were 

 also remarkably fresh and green. The wet conditions, however, 

 were against the woi'king of arable lands and the securing of 

 root ci'ops. 



Ck>mparing the records with those of previous yeans we find 

 the amount of rainfall (42-49 inches) is above the average com- 

 pared with 39-75 inches in 1906, which was also over the average. 

 Curiously, despite appearances to the contrary, the average 

 monthly rainfall was normal in the aggregate up to the end of 

 September. The heavy rainfall of October and December, how- 

 ever, made up the difference. The driest month of the year 

 was September, with a rainfall of 1-24 inches and 18 dry days. 

 The driest month during 1906 was April, with only 1-21 inches 

 of rain and 19 dry days. The wettest month was October, with 

 a rainfall of 6-67 inches and only 4 dry days. In 1906 October 

 was also the wettest month, with 5-33 inches and 5 dry days, 

 though August had nearly the same amount, with 5-28 inches. 



The greatest amount registered for twenty-four hours was 2-27 

 inches at 9 a.m. on the 16th October, which was a very abnormal 

 quantity; while on the 7th of the same month TOl inches were 

 registered, and on the 17th March, I'OS inches. Only on one 

 occasion in 1906 was the inch exceeded, and, strangely, that was 

 on the 17th March, when the amount was 1-08 inches. 



There were 147 dry days against 152 in the previous year. 



The following table of rainfall recorded in those parks where 

 gauges are placed is of interest as showing the variations in the 

 different parts of the city. Due allowance must always be made 

 for local conditions, as the exposure, altitude, and surroundings 

 are different in each case : — 



