luS Ecpori on Tcriiperatures and OjJen-Air Vegetation. 



came into flower, completiug the list. The winter of 

 1868-G9 compares in mildness with tlie present season. 



April. — Throughout the month of April there were 

 generally low night temperatures, with bright sunshine 

 during the day. The cold easterly or north-easterly drying 

 winds which prevailed almost continuously throughout the 

 month, and the absence of anything like drenching rain, 

 together with a succession of frosty nights at the end of 

 the month, seriously retarded vegetation. The thermo- 

 meter was below the freezing-point ten times. The lowest 

 readings occurred on the 1st, 28° ; 21st, 27" ; 23rd, 27° ; 

 25th, 26° ; 27th, 27° ; 28th, 28°. April has thus been the 

 most severe month of the season. Owing to the advanced 

 condition of vegetation these low temperatures did great 

 injury to fruit trees and bushes in many parts of the 

 country ; much more damage, however, appears to have 

 been sustained in the south than in the north. Almost 

 the only plants damaged in the garden are Astilbe and 

 Dielytra ; young leaves of Horse Chestnut and Eoses are 

 also slightly damaged. On the rock garden 103 species 

 and varieties came into bloom for the month as against 

 108 for the same month last year, making a total of 225 

 since January 1, as compared with 210 for the same period 

 last year. 



May. — No frost was registered, and once only did the 

 glass fall to the freezing-point, while last May the thermo- 

 meter was at or below freezing-point on four occasions. 

 From the 1st till the 20th of the month rain fell more or 

 less daily, after which a succession of dry, parching, easterly 

 wdnds with bright sunshine throughout the day prevailed 

 until the end of the month. Most deciduous trees have 

 developed fine healthy foliage, and a few, owing to the 

 absence of frost, have flowered better than usual, such as 

 Horse Chestnut, Hollies, and Pavia Jlava. Laburnum and 

 Thorns, both single and double, also promised well ; but 

 others, particularly Lilacs, double and single Cherries, and 

 most species of Pyrus and Prunus, have not flowered so 

 abundantly as usual. Although no actual frost was registered 

 the average temperature was not high. The lowest readings 

 of the thermometer occurred on the 2nd, 34° ; 4th, 34° ; 5th, 

 32°; 7th, 33° ; 19tli, 34°. The highest morning readings 



