Mr Sadler's Rqwrt on Opcn-Air Vegetation. 229 



November or beginning of December, has been in flower the whole 

 autumn. 



Demmher 1880. — During the month the thermometer was at or 

 below freezing-point on eighteen occasions as against twenty-three 

 in 1879. The lowest readings were on the 17th, 16°; 18th, 21°; 21st, 

 24°; 26th, 25°; 27th, 20°; 28th, 30th, 31st, 25°. There were regis- 

 tered collectively for the month 106° of frost, as against 230° in 

 the corresponding month of last year. 



The early part of the month was comparatively mUd, which 

 continued until the 14th, when there were 6° of frost. On the 17th 

 the frost was very severe, the register standing as low as 16', 

 showing 16° of frost. A slight improvement took place about the 

 22nd and 23rd, when only 1° of frost was registered. On the 27th 

 the thermometer feU to 20°, sho'sving 12° of frost. 



A special feature in the Pinetum as well as in the Rock Garden 

 during the past two months, was the deep russet-brown tints of 

 the foliage of the several varieties of Arhnrvitee. Amongst the plants 

 that were in flower during the early part of the month in the 

 Rock Garden were the following : — HeUehorus niger, H. niger 

 maxiimis, Veronica ')iipestris, Diplopapjms chrysophylla, Arahis 

 decurrens, Crocus pulchcllus or medins, Lithos2^ermum prostatum, 

 Sedum ihericnm, Mpnziesia cceruJea, Calhina uidgaris vars., Erica 

 carnea alba. Among the weeds in flower were Lamium purpureuriiy 

 Senecio mdgaris, Leontodon Taraxacum, Sfellaria media, CapseUa 

 hursa-pastoris, and Poa anmia. 



January 1881. — During the month the thermometer was at or 

 below the freezing point on twenty-seven occasions as against 

 twenty-one in the corresponding month of last year. The lowest 

 readings were on the following ten mornings, viz., 12th, 14°; 15th, 

 12°; 16th, 10°; 17th, 0°; 18th, 12°; 20th, 11°; 22nd, 12°; 24th, 7°; 

 26th, 4°; 27th, 1 3°. There were registered 369'^ of frost collectively for 

 the month as compared with 132° for January 1880. 



The month began with four days of pleasant spring-like weather, 

 which gave rise to the hope that winter was gone, but on the 

 morning of the 5th the thermometer fell to 22°, and there was a 

 continuance of frost every night until the 31st, when the thermo- 

 meter rose to 33°. Notwithstanding the severity of the weather 

 vegetation at the Garden sullered comparatively little — thanks to 

 the past good summer and autumn in ripening the season's gi-owth ; 

 moreover, all low growing plants were well protected for a con- 

 siderable time with a thick covering of snow, this snow-covering 

 at its greatest depth measuring from 10 to 15 inches. 



February 1881. — During the mouth the thermometer was at or 

 below freezing-point on twenty occasions as against nine in 

 February 1880. The lowest readings were on the 7th, 23°; 12th, 



