Beport on Temperatures and Oiicn-Air Vegetation. 151 



calUs, Sy7n2')hytvm, Ferula, and tlie like, made growtlis 

 of from 12 to 14 inches in ]engtli. The earlj-fiowering 

 Bhododendron atrovirens, dahuricum, prcecox, and Nohle- 

 anum, have been particularly fine this season. On the 

 rock garden forty-three species and varieties of plants 

 came into flower for the month, as against forty-eight in 

 the same month last year. 



March. — During the month there were twenty-three 

 frosty nights, as compared with seven in March 1882. 

 The lowest readings registered were on the mornings of the 

 12th, 27° 13th, 26°; 15th, 24°; 17th, 25°; 28th, 24°; 

 29th, 25°; while the highest morning readings at 9 o'clock 

 were on the 2nd, 44°; 5th, 43°; 24tli, 42°; 30th, 48°; and 

 31st, 41°. Vegetation, having been forced on by the 

 nnusual mildness of the previous month, suffered a severe 

 check. The small amount of rainfall experienced along 

 with these low temperatures tended in a great measure to 

 protect early-flowering plants from injury. Eoses (tea and 

 hybrid perpetual) were slightly injured. Bhododendron s, 

 which were in bloom during the early part of the month, 

 had their flowers destroyed, but later developed buds were 

 in full flower. Scillas and other spring-flowering bulbous 

 plants had their period of flowering somewhat shortened, 

 but otherwise they were as good as usual. Only twenty- 

 eight species and varieties of plants came into flower in the 

 rock garden during the month, while in March last year 

 ninety-three species came into bloom. The retarding 

 nature of the weather during the month may have a bene- 

 ficial effect on the fruit crop this season. 



April. — Towards the beginning of the month, when 

 westerly winds were prevalent, vegetation made consider- 

 able progress. Many deciduous trees and shrubs, such as 

 Larch, Poplar, Elder, Amelanchier, Thorns, and Lilacs, had 

 their leaves nearly expanded. Elms, and Ashes were 

 literally covered with flowers. The following plants trained 

 on south walls were finely in flower, viz.: — Prunus friloha, 

 jl. j)l., Magnolia conspicua, M. purpurea, and Gydonia 

 japonica. But a succession of cold east and north-east winds, 

 together with little rainfall, prevailing after the 19th inst., 

 materially checked outdoor vegetation. On the rock 

 garden 108 species and varieties of alpine and dwarf 



