Exact Measurement of Trees. 



85 



season were reduced by nearly an entire month. In 1878 a 

 cold spring, not cold enough however to injure tree buds, 

 or to prevent their gradual progress, was succeeded by 

 much sun in the month of May, which, qualifying a rather 

 low atmospheric temperature, soon clothed the woods with 

 ample foliage ; and the four following months were on tlie 

 whole genial, yet by no means peculiarly so. But in 1879 a 

 similar, and indeed colder spring, was followed by a cold, 

 cloudy, uncomfortable May ; and, as the result, the tree 

 buds generally did not begin fairly to unfold till the be- 

 ginning of June. Trees were therefore deprived of a fifth 

 part of their usual season for growing. 



But secondly, the temperature of the five growing months 

 of 1879 was materially under that of 1878 ; and this was 

 the case with each month separately, as well as of course 

 for the general average of the whole. To illustrate this 

 interesting fact, I refer to the following remarkable table, 

 which has been kindly communicated by Mr Buchan, 

 secretary of our Meteorological Society. The table, which 

 is complete and most significant, presents both the average 

 maximum temperature, and the average mean temperature, 

 for each of the five growing months, and also for the month 

 of April, which may be regarcjed as usually the budding 

 month in this climate. 



No one can doubt the serious influence on vegetation 

 arising from so great, so steady, and so lasting a want, as is 

 here indicated, in the ordinary spring, summer, and autumn 



