Note.—The observations are taken at 9 a.m., except at Redhill, 
Reigate Hill (Nutwood Lodge), Addington (Park Farm), and Brixton 
(8 a.m.), Croydon (Woburn Road) (8.380 a.m.), and Sevenoaks 
(10 a.m.). 
NOTES. 
(May, 1898.) 
The month has been wet, cold, and rather sunless. It is the 
wettest May since 1891. There was a frost on the 17th in many parts 
of the district, and in the early morning of the 18th a few snowflakes 
fell at Warlingham. There were thunderstorms generally throughout 
the district on the 23rd and 31st, and on these days hail fell. Easterly 
winds were very prevalent, especially after the 15th. The hawthorn 
flowered at Croydon on the 10th, and the white may at Wallington 
on the same day. At Wallington the lilac, both white and purple, 
flowered on the 11th, the laburnum, white chestnut, and red may on 
the 18th, and the red chestnut on the 20th. At Croydon (Park Hill) 
the maximum thermometer stood at 70° on one day, 60° and above 
on eleven days, and below 50° on one day; whilst the minimum 
thermometer was 50° and above on two days, and below 40° on five 
days. At Nutfield the oak was in full leaf quite fourteen days before 
the ash. At Croydon (Duppas House) the evaporation for the month 
has been unusually small, whilst from the 9th percolation has been 
going on through the chalk gauge, but no water has passed through 
the gravel percolator. The rainfall for the month is about three- 
quarters of an inch above the average, and there has been a good deal 
of illness about, principally rheumatism. The mean temperature of the 
month is about 15° below the average, and was at Croydon (Duppas 
House) 52°3°, at Wallington 52-2°, at Waddon 51°8°, at Croydon 
(Whitgift) 51-7°, and at Chipstead 51:4°. There were recorded at 
Wallington 140-5 hours of sunlight, which is 18 per cent. below the 
May mean of the ten years 1886-95, and is the smallest May total in 
the register. 
F, Campsett-Bayarp, P.R.Met.Soc., 
Hon. See. 
