38 



Proceedings of the 



The other heavy rainfalls were : — 



in. on Jan. 1 



.l.-l 

 Jan. 2. J 

 April 15. 



June 1. 

 June 



June 24 

 June 2 



'■} 



33 in. on June 30. 



66 



67 



42 



29 



91 



53 



35 



une 30. "1 

 ulyl. ] 

 July 19. 1 

 July 20. ; 

 August 22. \ 

 August 23. J 

 August 27. 1 

 August 28. f 



On November 20 and 21 there occurred a heavy fall of snow, equal to 

 l*09in. rain. This snow was very wet and dense, causing considerable 

 damage to roofs and gutters, and breaking down a large portion of a fine 

 cedar whicli extended over the Church Walk near Eeigate old church. There 

 was bright lightning and heavy thunder about 1 p.m. on the 30th December. 

 The year was very deficient in sunshine, even when there was no rain. From 

 Jan. 20 to Feb. 7, a period of 10 days, no sunshine seems to have been recorded 

 at Kew; and extending the period to 22 days, viz., from Jan, 16 to Feb. 7, 

 the amount of sunshine was about two hours. From Dec. 10 to 21 there 

 occurred 12 days without sunshine. There have been comparatively few 

 heavy gales, but an unusual amount of still air, with abundant haze ; so 

 that the season has been, upon the whole, dull. Crops have ripened with 

 difficulty ; pears which usually were ripe in August were gathered unripe in 

 October, and even in November. The following additional table, f urnLshed 

 by Mr. Tyndall, shows the deficiency in the mean temperature of each 

 month in 1879 : — ■ 



In reference to Mr. Tyndall's observations on the small amount of sun- 

 shine during the year, Dr. Bossey remarked that it was not so much an 

 absence of sunshine as a deficiency of the actinic rays that had proved so 

 disastrous to the crops of various kinds ; as under their influence the 

 chemical change in fruit, &c., is effected, by which the starch is converted into 

 sugar, and the fruit ripened. This is of more importance to the crops than 

 actual heat. Some conversation took place upon the peculiarly heavy fall 



