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) (8.30 a.m.), and Sevenoaks 
(10 a.m.). 
NOTES. 
(October, 1898.) 
The month may be divided into four portions: the first half dry, 
but dull and foggy, then wet in the middle of the month, fine and 
warm towards the close, with heavy storms on the 29th and 30th. 
The rainfall is slightly above the average for the month in most places 
in the district. The rain has done a great deal of good, and all 
vegetables have flourished wonderfully. The observers at Nutfield 
and Warlingham remark on the wonderful growth of mushrooms, and 
their freedom from maggots. There was heavy rain on the 17th at 
Abinger; and on the 29th there was heavy rain, accompanied by 
thunder and lightning, throughout the district, and according to all 
accounts the storm was heaviest at Camberwell. The observer at 
Park Hill, Croydon, reports that the Jerusalem artichoke ( Helianthus 
tuberosus) has flowered this year, a very rare occurrence; it flowered 
in 1895. The month has been a healthy one, and there has been very 
little illness about. The maximum and minimum temperatures in the 
shade have been unusually high. The mean temperature of the month 
is about 4° above the average, and was at Chipstead 54°, at Croydon 
(Whitgift) 53-7°, at Wallington 53-6°, at Waddon 53:3°, and at Croydon 
(Duppas House) 53:2°. There was nearly a total absence of frost, and 
scarlet runner beans were gathered at Redhill on the 31st, and dahlias, 
nasturtiums, and nearly all summer flowers were in bloom on the same 
day at Sidcup. A solar halo was seen at Croydon on the 10th, and at 
Wallington on the 20th; and a lunar one at Wallington on the 28rd. 
There were recorded at Wallington 83 hours of sunlight, which is 
6 per cent. below the October mean of the ten years 1886-95. At 
Lower Kingswood, near Reigate, the rainfall was 3-46 in. 
F. Campsetu-Bayarp, P.R.Met.Soc., 
Hon. Sec. 
