230 Mr Sadler's Report on Ojjen-Air Vegetation. 



29°; 13tli, 23"; 24th, 24°; 28th, 15". GoDectively, there were 100"; 

 of frost as compared with 30" in the same month last year. 



Vegetation, on the whole, was quite a month later than last year. 

 The following plants came into flower in the Kock Garden during the 

 month : — Galanthus Elwesi, Hc.lMjorus albicans major, H. angiisti- 

 folms, Primula vulgaris, Dondla Epipadis. 



The late storm proved very fatal to many of the feathered tribe ; 

 this was principally owing to the scarcity of haws and fruit — even 

 the hoUy yielded no hemes. Tlie following birds were found dead 

 in the garden : — Thrush, redwing, blackbird, chaffinch, wood- 

 pigeon, and common rook. 



March 1881. — During the month there Avere twenty-one frosty 

 nights as compared with nineteen in 1880. The lowest readings 

 registered were on the 1st, 15", 2nd 20", 3rd 20", 15th 26", 21st 

 26", 22nd 19", 23rd 25°, 2Gth 21", 27th 25", 30th 18", 31st 20". 

 There were registered collectively for the month 132" of frost as 

 compared with 103° in the corresponding month of last year. We 

 had during the past five months three ditferent winters — firstly, a 

 November winter ; secondly, a December and January winter, with 

 fresh days between ; and lastly, a February and March winter. 



The following plants flowered during the month in the Rock 

 Garden : — Galanthus imjjerati, Leucojum vernum, Crocus iinperati, 

 C. etrusc'us, Hejmtica angnlosa, Primula pulcherrima, P. integri- 

 folium, P. marginata, Draba aizoon, D. cuspidata, Daphne mezereon, 

 Bidhocodmm vernum, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Corhidaria nivalis, 

 Ghionodoxa Luciliai, Scilla proicox, S. sibirica. Rhododendron p)rcErnx, 

 Merendera soboliferum, Corydalis angusti folia. 



Apjril 1881. — During April the thermometer was at or below the 

 freezing-point on twelve occasions as compared with six in the 

 same month of last year. The lowest readings were — 1st, 21°, 2nd 

 31", 3rd 28°, 4th 22", 5th 25°, 6th 21°, 7th 26°, 8th 25°, 9th 26°, 

 10th 28°, 1 1th 32°, 28th 32°. There were registered coUectively 67° 

 of frost as against 18° for April 1880. The continued cold east and 

 north-east winds of the early part of the month, together with a 

 succession of frosty nights from the 1st to the 12th, seriously 

 retarded vegetation, but about the 14th a change for the better 

 occurred ; the wind veered to the south-west, a succession of bright 

 sunny days, interspersed with soft showers, caused vegetation to burst 

 into growth rapidly. The following, amongst a great number of 

 plants, flowered in theEock Garden during the month: — Erythronium 

 dens canis, E. grandiflorum, Corbularia nivalis, Croe^is biflorus, G. 

 Auckeri, G. tulipifolius, G. albijiorm. Iris reticulata, Garex Frazeri, 

 Puschkinia scilloides, Narcissus lobularis, Salix lanata, Adonis ver- 

 nalis, Iberis saxatilis, Menziesia crnndea, Primida Gashmeriana, P. 

 dentictdata, P. ciliata purpurea, Ornithogalum excapum, Anemone 



