142, 
tional one. Often we hear this term applied without any substantiaF 
facts to support the statement ; but he was going to bring forward a. 
few facts to show that the past season was decidedly exceptional. 
With regard to the temperature, a mild November and December in. 
1889 were succeeded by a January in which there was a frost only om 
five days, on two of which the thermometer fell to 21°. February had 
ten days of frost, during which the lowest record was not below 26°. 
March four days of frost, on one of which, z.c., 4th, 18° was reached. 
Notwithstanding the lowness of this temperature, ze., 14° of frost, but. 
little damage was done, owing most probably to the dryness of the- 
atmosphere and the extreme shortness of the minimum conptinuance,, 
ze, about five minutes; for mischief arises in our country, as in 
France, more from the long duration of a frost than from its intensity. 
April had five days on which the frost was never more than 2° May, 
June, August, and September were entirely free. In October there 
was one day on which the mercury fell to 30° November seven days. 
of frost, on one of whieh (the 29th) it fell to 21°. The result of this 
shows that there has been an exceedingly small number of days om 
which the thermometer fell below 32°. The present December has. 
already had twelve days of severe frost, and it is feared that this may 
seriously affect vegetation. What then, may we gather from this? 
The result has been that things started into growth both early and 
very rapidly, aud the shoots were ripened by a fine September and 
October. Coming to some of the plants themselves, the summer roses 
were poor, but the late autumn ones extremely goud. The foliage of 
the plants was marvcllously rich, especially, eg., the oak-leaved 
geraniums, and a great number of shrubs considered to be delicate made: 
exceptional growth, establishing themselves very strongly. Fruit was,. 
however, below the average, smal] aud lacking in flavour. Plums were- 
a general failure, except in Lord Sudeley’s orchards, where they were 
abundant, and realized a good sum, the causes of the bad crops else- 
where not taking effect here for some cause or another. Apples, though 
small, were abundant in some places, Mulberries likewise very 
plentiful, but did not ripen well. Pears few, but good and keeping 
badly. Several plants flowered for the first time with him, eg., the 
Edwardsia grandiflora, a yellow flowering New Zealand plant. The 
single Bankshire rose for the first time in England. Yucca rupicole 
for ““e first time in England threw up a spike of flowers ten feet from. 
