193 



was all over the country so poor and inconsiderable as to be generally 

 remarked. 



May 4. — Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) in flower. 



May 7. — Ash {Fraxinus excelsior) in flower, with young foliage just 

 apparent. All other forest trees in leaf, except the black poplar. 



May 8. — Horse-chesnut [JEsculws Hippocastanum) in flower. La 

 burnum just expanding its blossoms. 



May 9. — The meadows are now golden-streaked with the flowers of 

 Ranunculus bulbosus and acris. Forster says the maximum of flower- 

 ing for bulbosus is the first half of May ; for acris, end of May and 

 June. Acris was well in flower this year in May, though the Floras 

 give June and July for it. 



May 10. — The heat quite enervating, but vegetation progresses witli 

 extraordinary activity. Even the ash partially in leaf. Black poplar 

 showing its first copper-coloured foliage. Apple-trees at their acme 

 of beauty. Cockchaffers have appeared, but they seem very few in 

 number this year. 



Lonicera caprifolium in flower. 



May 12. — Rosa spinosissima in flower ; also Geranium lucidum and 

 Ranunculus parviflorus. (June, Babington). 



May 14. — Rubus caesins in flower. Always the first of the train of 

 Rubi, but this date is earlier than I have before recorded. Forster 

 and all the Floras say June. Mr. Leighton gives July for Shropshire. 

 It was universally in flower this season in May.* 



Tragopogon pratensis in flower. June according to Hooker, Ba- 

 bington, and Steele ; Mr. Forster, however, justly says that it flowers 

 about the 16th of May, becomes abundant 1st of June, and declines in 

 July. 



Bryonia dioica in flower. 



May 15. — Very sultry. Max. temp, of this day 8l£°. Holly [Ilex 

 aquifolium) in flower. 



Red campion {Lychnis diurna) in flower ; also Potentilla in a few 

 places by roadsides. June according to Forster and all the Floras, 

 which is usually the case. 



CEnanthe peucedanifolia in flower. This plant I have noticed as 



* My esteemed and observant friend the Rev. Andrew Bloxam, who is gloriously 

 hedged in with Rubi at his pleasant domicile in Leicestershire, says (Phytol. iii. 182) 

 that in his vicinity R. plicatus and sublustris arc the first to flower, but as I know from 

 observations made in his company, R. ctesius is curiously enough verv rare in that 

 neighbourhood, it escapes his notice. 



