122 Mr Liudsay's Report on Open- Air Vegetation, [sess. li. 



Centaurea alpina, Saxifrciga fiiiibriata, Statice minima, 

 Digitalis ferruginea, Scahiosa graminifolia, &c. 



The Eock Garden was very gay dming this month ; a large 

 nnmber of the plants which began to flower in Jvily continued 

 longer than usual, in consequence of there being no great 

 heat. Artificial watering was at no time required. 



September. — The weather was, on an average, favourable, 

 being dry, but rather cold. The first frost this season 

 occurred on the morning of the 15th, when the thermometer 

 fell to 29°, and on the following morning it registered 32°. 

 Dahlias, and a few other tender plants were injured, but not 

 altogether destroyed. Potatoes were also blackened in some 

 districts. No more frost occurred during this month, the 

 lowest readings being 35° on the 19th, and 36° on the 23rd. 

 The highest morning readings were — on the 1st, 65°; 6th, 

 65°; 8th, 62°; 9th, 60°; 30th, 62°. The season has been 

 favourable for transplanting, and outdoor operations have 

 had but little interruption throughout the month. On the 

 Kock Garden twenty-four species of plants came into bloom, 

 amongst which were Hypericum patulum, Morina Coidtcri, 

 Tricyrtis australis, Polygonum cccpitatum, Colchiciim maximtcm, 

 Gladiolus Saundersii, G. purjncreo-auratus, Oxalis lohata, 

 Folemonium Jlavum; Kniphojia MacOwani, Colchicum 

 autumnale album fl.-pl., Lilium tigrinum, (Enothera rivularis. 



October. — This month was remarkable for the absence of 

 frost; only once did the thermometer reach the freezing 

 point, YVA., on the 23rd; while in October 1885 frost was 

 registered on four nights, indicating 20° in all. In 

 consequence of the mildness of the season, a large number 

 of autumn flowers are still in fairly good condition — 

 Dahlias, Pelargoniums, Lobelias, Calceolarias, and other 

 tender plants are in flower in the open ground up to the 

 present date, but they are somewhat battered by the severe 

 storms of wind and rain they have undergone. Autumnal 

 tints on deciduous trees and shrubs have been less interesting 

 than usual. Very few have coloured well; the best were 

 species of Maple, Oak, and Liriodendron, while many others 

 were scarcely coloured at all, the leaves having fallen or 

 been blown off in an immature condition. The brown tints 

 which many Conifers assume at this season are as yet 

 absent. Want of heat and sunshine during the growing season, 



