542 TKANS ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE [Sess. lvii. 



OCTOBER. 



The month was very cold, with much frost and rain. 

 The first frost this season was on the 2nd, when the glass 

 registered o2^ The thermometer was at or below the 

 freezing point on nine occasions, indicating collectively 44° 

 of frost for the month. The lowest readings were on the 

 18th, 26°; 19th, 28°; 24th, 23°; 2oth, 19°; 26th, 20°. 

 The lowest day reading was 44° on the 25th, and the 

 highest 62° on the 2nd. Leaves of deciduous trees and 

 shrubs began to fall early in the month. Autumn tints 

 were most conspicuous on species of Oak, Maple, Cornus, 

 Azalea, Ftjriis, and Bcrhrris. The brown tint on varieties 

 of Biota, is also very distinct and interesting. Fruit is most 

 abundant on trees of Pijrus latifolia, Holly Cotoneaster, and 

 Pernettya. FlovA-ering herbaceous plants continued to bloom 

 till the frost of the 25th. Large masses of Polygonxvin 

 vaccinifolium on the rock-garden were completely destroyed 

 at the same date. 



On the rock-garden 15 species came into flower during 

 October, as against 13 for October 1891. Amongst those 

 were: — Aster longifolius, Crocus asticricus, 0. Salzmannii, 

 Hellebores albicans, Hypericum ncpalcnse, Farocha:tus com- 

 munis, BvclbccJda. Keimnaunii, Sedum spectabile, Staiice 

 minuta. The total which have flowered since 1st January 

 is 1208. During tlie same period last year 1210 flowered. 



Readings of exj>ose(l Thermometer at the Kock-Garden of the 

 lioyal Botanic (Janlon, Edinburgh, duriiii; October 1892. 



