228 Mr Sadler's RepoH on Open-Air Vcfjetation. 



The tem])oratui'o once ruorc freshened fur u day or two, and then 

 again assumed its frosty nature. On the 28th a tremendous wind 

 storm with incessant rain swept over the country for twenty-four 

 hours, and committed considerable havoc amongst trees and shrubs 

 in some places. The Botanic Garden, however, escaped without 

 injury. Only one species came into flower during the month in the 

 Eock Garden, viz., Merendera aaucasica, thus making in all 781 

 species and varieties since 1st January 1880. 



Novemher 1880. — The thermometer was at or below tlie freezing- 

 point sixteen times (in 1879 seventeen times). The lowest readings 

 were on the 2nd, 19°; 3rd, 23°; 4th, 26°; 15th, 22°; IGth, 25°; 18th 

 22°; 20th, 17° (or 15° of frost); 21st, 9° (or 23° of frost) ; 22nd, 17°; 

 23rd, 17°. 136° of frost were registered for the month as against 

 92° in 1879. 



The month began with sharp frost, and during the 2nd and 3rd 

 the thermometer was below the freezing-iDoint (in the shade) the 

 whole of botli days, with north and north-east wind. On the even- 

 ing of the 3rd tliere was a bright display of Aurora BoreaHs. On 

 the 4th the frost gave way and was followed by two or three days 

 of enjoyable simshine, which terminated in a south-westerly gale 

 with rain. On the 8 th there was again a sharj) frost, which continued 

 throughout the day ; on the 9th it disappeared, and returned on 

 tlie 14th, when there was frost every night until the 23rd. On the 

 morning of the 19th there was a fall of about 3 inches of snow 

 which did not wholly disappear until the 24th, when a complete 

 thaw set in, with a south-west wind, which continued more or less 

 untU the end of the month. I^Totwithstanding the severity of the 

 weather little injury was done to vegetation in the Garden. During 

 the storm several refugees came to the Garden, viz., two water hens, 

 a brace of pheasants (cock and hen), and a beautiful specimen of 

 ' Eeynard the Fox.' Of course the last devoured the first. 



Up to about the middle of the month there were a few jjlants in 

 flower in the Rock Garden, including — Litliospertmmi jirostratum, 

 Veronica rapestris, V. apicata, Arabis decurrens, HeUehorus niger, 

 Erica vagans rubra and alha^ Calluna mdgaris (several varieties), 

 Menziesia polifolia versicolor, Diplopappas chryso^jhylla, A'ahi'ietia 

 purpurea, Linum alpinntn, Crocus medius. Primula Cashmeriana, 

 and Merendera caucasica. 



Several of tliese were recorded in the spring report, when they 

 came into flower, thus Crocus medius was recorded as being in flower 

 on 1st January, and now again as flowering on 5tli ^N^ovember ; 

 Arahis decurrens on March 1, and again in October; Primula Casli- 

 meriana on March 4, and again November 8 ; HeUehorus albicans 

 major on February 5, and again November 2 ; while Hellebortis 

 niger maximus, which usually opens its flowers about the end of 



