Report on Tcmperahircs and Open- Air Ver/etatio7i. 155 



flowered last year ; this result was not due to the season, 

 but simply to the fact that new plants are constantly being 

 added to the collection from various quarters, many of 

 which flow^er, and are recorded. 



November. — During November the thermometer was at 

 or below the freezing-point on fourteen occasions. The 

 lowest readings were on the 7th, 28° ; 8th, 29° ; 11th, 

 28°; 12th, 22°; 13th, 27°; 14th, 29°. The highest 

 morning readings were on the 1st, 47°; 2nd, 45°; 3rd, 46°; 

 25th, 46° ; 29th, 51°. 



The month began with eight days of mild spring-like 

 weather. On the 9th and 10th a severe storm of wind, 

 rain, and snow occurred, which swept off (with few 

 exceptions) what leaves were remaining on deciduous 

 trees. The latter portion of the month was remarkable 

 for an extraordinary series of most brilliant sunrise and 

 sunset phenomena, which attracted general attention. On 

 the evening of the 28th, when the sunset was perhaps most 

 striking, the thermometer registered 50° as the minimum. 

 On the rock garden the following plants came into flower 

 during the month: — Aster Reevesii, Crocus sp. (from Asia 

 Minor) ; Erica lierhacea alba, Hepatica triloba alba, Iberis 

 stylosa^ Helleborus 'purpurascens var., and Geum aureum. 



A number of herbaceous and alpine plants which came 

 into flower during previous months remained in fine flow^er, 

 the finest of all being Helleborus alti/olius, which began 

 to flower this year about the beginning of September. 

 Amongst others, Arabis p)rocurrens, Veronica rupestris, 

 Schizostylis coccinea, Lithospermiim prostratum^ Aubrietia, 

 Erica vagans^ &c. In other parts of the garden plants 

 w^ere in flower of Jasminum nudiflorum, Hamamelis tir- 

 ginica, Erica ciliaris, China Roses, Wallflowers, Stocks, 

 Primroses (double and single), Pansies, &c. 



December. — The month of December 1883 will be long 

 remembered as one of the mildest on record. During the 

 month the thermometer was twelve times at or below the 

 freezing-point being in marked contrast with December 

 1882, when twenty-two frosty nights occurred. The low^est 

 readings occurred on the 5th, 28°; 7th, 26°; 8th, 29°; 16tli, 

 30°; 17th, 33°; w^hile the highest morning readings were on 

 the 9th, 45°; 13th, 49°; 24th, 49° ; 25th, 48° ; 29th, 49°. 



