412 Mr Lindsay's Report on Open- Air Vegetation. 



Airril. — During the month of April vegetation made 

 slow progress. Comparatively little frost occurred, but a 

 succession of dry easterly winds prevented any rapid growth 

 from taking place. The season is unusually late, and should 

 fine weather follow, the prospect of an abundant fruit crop 

 will be one good result. With few exceptions, deciduous 

 trees and shrubs had scarcely any leaves developed at the 

 end of the month. The rainfall was light, thus rendering 

 the ground in excellent condition for seed sowing. A few 

 genial showers, however, are much required to assist growth. 

 In my last report mention was made of considerable injury 

 having been done to various plants by cold frosty winds. 

 Several Conifers have been affected in a similar way during 

 April, but to a greater extent. Large plants of Biota 

 orientalis and its varieties are completely browned and 

 destroyed, even such hardy plants as Cupressus Lawsoniana, 

 Thuia gigantea and aurea, are more or less injured in some 

 situations. Frost was registered on seven occasions, indi- 

 cating collectively 15° of frost as against 27° for the corre- 

 sponding month last year. The lowest readings were on the 

 10th, 27°; 12th, 30°; 24th, 30°; 29th, 31°; 30th, 27°. 

 The highest morning readings were on the 2nd, 55°; 13th, 

 47°; 25th, 60°; 27th, 58°; 30th, 48°. The lowest day 

 temperature was 45°, which occurred on the 10th, and the 

 highest, 72°, on the 27th. The total amount of frost 

 registered this season, up to the end of April, is 632°; for 

 the same period last season 466° were registered. The 

 following is the distribution for each month, viz. : — 

 September, 1°; October, 20°; November, 65°; December, 

 111°; January, 158°; February, 128°; March, 134°; April, 

 15°. On the Eock Garden 119 species and varieties came 

 into flower during April, being 63 less than for last April. 

 Among the finest flowered were — 



