304 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
the greater part of the country the excess of temperature was 
almost wholly occasioned by the unusual warmth of the nights. 
The mean rainfall was 68 per cent. in excess of the average, more 
than twice the normal quantity being recorded at Aberdeen, 
Braemar, and Ochtertyre. There was a slight deficiency at some 
places on the west coast, as also in Midlothian. There was a 
deticiency of sunshine over the country generally, the smallest 
amounts recorded being 22 per cent. of the possible at Edinburgh 
and Glasgow, Stornoway being the sunniest station, with 33 per 
cent. Gales were rather frequent for the time of year at the 
exposed northern stations. 
May 1898 —The weather of May was characterised by a mean 
temperature slightly under the average, a mean rainfall a little 
above the average, and an average amount of sunshine. Tem- 
perature was just normal in the south-west from Ayrshire to 
Skye, but inland situations had a mean temperature two degrees 
below the average, the greatest defect being in east Inverness, 
and in Berwick, Roxburgh, and Peebles. On the 11th and 
12th, the 16th, and even on the 31st, showers of snow and sleet 
were reported at some of the northern and north-eastern stations. 
Rainfall was very irregularly distributed over the country, being 
below the normal in the counties of Berwick, Fife, Galloway, 
Perthshire, and the south of Inverness-shire. At many places in 
the north, as well as in the extreme south, twice the normal 
quantity was precipitated, the northern stations being Kirkwall, 
Deerness, Thurso, Dunrobin, Tarbetness, and Perth. Bright sun- 
shine was in excess at most of the northern and western stations, 
but slightly below the mean in the east and south-east, more 
particularly at coast stations. The percentage of possible ranged 
from 42 per cent. at Fort William to 32 per cent. at Edinburgh 
and Strathpeffer Spa. Over most of the country the values were 
fairly normal. 
June 1898.—The weather of June was changeable and showery, 
the meteorology of the month being without feature, all the climatic 
elements, taking the country generally, approximating very closely 
to their normals. The mean temperature was about half a degree 
under the average, the greatest deficiency being one degree over 
places to the east of a line intersecting Kelso, Dundee, Aberlour, 
and Inverness. There was a slight excess, amounting to about a 
degree, in many of the inland counties. The mean rainfall was 
7 per cent. less than the average, but was very irregularly dis- 
