230 Mr E. Lindsay's Report on Open- Air Vcjetation. 



ISTarcissus rupicola. Polygala Chamsebuxus pur- 



Litliospeniium prostratum. purea, 



Petrocallis pyrenaica. Menziesia ccerulea. 



Primula ciliata purpurata. empetriformis. 



longiflora. Ehododendron ciliatum, 



Clusiana. Soldanella montana. 



caskmiriana. Podophyllum Emodi. 



rosea. Tulipa pulchella. 



Sieboldi. Eanunculus amplexicaulis, 



viscosa. Trifolium unifloruin. 



Polygala Chamaebuxus. Muscari Argsei. 



3fa7/. — The montli of May was unusually cold and 

 ungenial ; mucli rain and frost occurred during the first 

 three weeks, which retarded vegetation considerably until 

 the last week of the month, when good progress was made, 

 a change of temperature having taken place. The season 

 being a late one, no permanent damage has been done; the 

 only plant seriously damaged was Dielytra spectahilis, 

 which had its flowers destroyed. The thermometer was 

 at or below the freezing-point on five occasions, indicating 

 collectively 13° of frost (this is the greatest amount of 

 frost registered in May since 1876, Vv'hen 26° occurred). 

 Last year no frost was registered in May. The lowest 

 readings were— on the 6th, 29^^; 7th, 31'; 8th, 29°; 12th, 

 26°; 14th, 32°. The highest morning readings were — on 

 the 26th, 59°; 27th, 58°; 29th, 63°; 30th, 57°; 31st, 60". 

 The highest day temperature was 71°, on the 28th, and 

 the lowest 45°, on the 3rd. The foliage of the ordinary 

 forest trees is well developed ; flower-buds are numerous, 

 but late in expanding. By May 31 we generally have the 

 Horse Chestnut, Facia jiaxa. Laburnum, Lilac, Hawthorn, 

 and varieties of Sorbus in flower. This year we have only 

 had double Cherry, Gean, Apple, and varieties of Maple 

 in bloom, but they have flowered very well ; Magnolias 

 on walls are better set with flower-buds than they have 

 been for several years back. Narcissus, Tulips, and hardy 

 spring bulbous plants generally have flowered well ; the 

 earlier kinds are now forming seed freely. On the rock 

 garden 139 species of hardy plants came into bloom, as 

 against 228 for the same month last year. Only forty-two 

 plants are of the same species as those recorded for May 

 last year, the remainder having yet to bloom. 



