Effects of Winter 1881-82. 380 



Fro7n David ^Iurray, Culzean Ganie.m, Mayhole, Ayrshire. 



Aug. 24, 1882. 

 The lowest temperature during the winter of 1881-82 was on the 

 11th December. We had no hardy plants injured. All our wild 

 tlowers were much in advance of theii usual time of flowering. 

 There was not a week during the winter in which Ave could not 

 pluck Daisies from the lawn. A vase of Geraniums which had not 

 been emptied in the autumn had some full-bloAvn trusses on the 

 plants in the middle of January, and the scarlet flowers looked as 

 bright as in summer. 



From Charles Stuart, Esq., M.D., Chirnside, Berwickshire. 



The contrast between the weather of the last three years and the 

 present one is so remarkable that it is certainly worth a careful 

 comparison. One of the latest springs ever remembered was that of 

 1879. The trees did not fully expand their leaves till the middle 

 of June. The cold winds of April and May of 1880 retarded 

 vegetation and caused that spring to be later than it promised. 

 The spring of 1881 may be said not to have begun till May, 

 when, after the bleakest March and April on record, the country 

 under forcing weather became suddenly green, more like what is 

 seen on the Continent than in Scotland. The summer from June 

 was a cold one, the crops making slow progress ; a wet harvest ren- 

 dering the grain unsaleable. The great gale of 1 4th October seemed 

 to exert some peculiar influence in settling the elements, although 

 it has been remarked that after three years of bad weather a change 

 for the better is sometimes seen, and this has certainly been the 

 case in the present season. On October the 29th CheWot was 

 covered with snow, and for two days afterwards a sharp frost pre- 

 vailed, which cut down the more tender plants for the season. 

 November was ushered in with snow showers, and frost was felt for 

 another day, when the weather gradually settled. By the 7th of 

 that month we had very fresh weather, with temjieratures in the 

 shade above 50°. November 11th and 12th, 55° in shade; 14th 56°. 

 On the 22nd there was an alarming gale from the Avest and 

 occasional rain blasts, but in the main seasonable weather. The 

 highest temperatures in December occurred on the 2nd = 50°-4, 

 and same on 3rd ; lowest on 15th, max. 32^*4, min. 21", "Wind 

 generaUy W.S.W. Rainfall, 1-57. 



January 1882 Avas a Avonderful month in point of Aveather, the 



