304 PHENOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, CANADA, 1899,—MACKAY. 
as to the average time of first flowering and when flowering 
was beginning to become common. In some counties the 
observations were so full that thirty good stations could be 
selected for averaging, ten from the sea coast, ten from low 
inland settlements, and ten from high land settlemeats. These 
average dates or phenochrons of flowering are arranged in 
parallel columns for the sake of comparison. In some counties 
only twenty satisfactory stations for averaging, and in others 
only ten, were found, as can be seen at a glance from the 
tabulation of the figures. 
The average phenochron for each plant’s first flowering and 
flowering becoming common is calculated for each county, and 
the mean of the two series is finally taken for comparison 
with the similar general phenochron for the same phenomenon 
in 1898. These general phenochrons are plotted on the accom- 
panying diagram so as to show their curves through the 
counties of the Province arranged in a linear series beginning at 
the west and south, and proceeding to the east and north. 
This order of the counties will be uniformly followed in 
future plottings of the phenochronic curves, for the greater ease 
of comparing those of one year with those of another. Last 
year the counties were arranged in the order of their most 
general phenochrons. Were the same rule followed this year 
the positions of some of the counties would be changed; but if 
the positions of the counties remain fixed the configurations of 
the phenochroniec curves will illustrate the variations very 
clearly from year to year. 
On a future occasion I propose to plot the phenochrons of 
the same phenomena running through the counties of the 
province for two or three consecutive years, in order to study 
the character of the annual observations, or the peculiarities of 
climate or flowering. Unfortunately, we cannot be sure of 
the degree of variation originating in the Jatter causes until we 
are sure of a uniform system of correct observations symmetric- 
ally distributed. 
