Mr Sadler's Report on Open- Air Vegetation. 125 



February 1880, — The thermometer was at or below the 

 freezing poiut 9 times, and in 1879, 21 times. The fol- 

 lowing were the lowest temperatures : — 6th, 30° ; 9tli, 23° ; 

 11th, 25°; 13th, 29°; 14th, 29°; 15th, 28°; 26th 30°. 

 There were registered for the month 30° of frost, and in 

 the corresponding month last year there were 98°. The 

 mid-day temperatures ranged from 37° on the 9th to 55° 

 on the 4th. On 19 days we had bright sunshine during the 

 forenoon ; hence upwards of 30 species and varieties of 

 spring flowering plants came into bloom in the rock 

 garden during the month. These included Dondia Epi- 

 pactis, Primula denticulata, Gcdantlius Elivesii^ Saxifraga 

 Burseriana^ Leucojum vermim, Rhododendron praieox^ Crocus 

 imperaii. 



March 1880. — The thermometer was at or below the 

 freezing point on 19 occasions; in 1879, 18 times. There 

 were registered collectively during the month 103° of frost, 

 as compared with 50° for the same month last year. The 

 following were the lowest temperatures : — 8th, 25° ; 9th, 

 23°; 10th, 23°; 18th, 24°; 19th, 22°; 20th, 23°; 22d, 

 25° ; 23d, 28° ; 24th, 26° ; 25th, 25° ; 26th, 26° ; 28th, 

 22° ; 29th, 25°. During the whole of this month there 

 were low temperatures both night and day, principally 

 owing to the continuance of easterly and northerly winds. 

 On 19 days there were bright sunshine, which did much for 

 spring vegetation. The mouth was comparatively dry, and 

 most favourable for the preparation of the soil, hence horti- 

 culture and agriculture got far in advance of last year at 

 the same date. Among the numerous species and varieties 

 of plants wdiich came into flower during the month were 

 the following : — Galanthns plicatus, G. impercdi, Saxifraga 

 oppositifolia , and vars. Crocus eiruscus, C. hifiorus, C. 

 tidipa:folius, Priimda purpurea, P. marginaia, P. cashmeri- 

 ana, P. pidcherrima, P. villosa, P. ciliata, Bulhocodium 

 vernmn, Colchiciun soboliferum, Soldanella montana, CJiiono- 

 doxa Forhesii, Iris reticulata, Seilla siberica, S. prcecox, S. 

 hifolia major, Rlwdodendron lapponicum, R. cilicdum. 



April 1880. — Throughout the month there were gene- 

 rally low night temperatures, with bright sunlight during 

 the day, while the wind, with one or two exceptions, was 

 continually either northerly or easterly. The thermometer 



