™" 
, 
April 13, 1882] 
NATURE 
observations on the first appearance of a selected series of thirty 
flowers. The results have been published in tabular form in the 
Natural HistoryJournal, ‘Thus the means for all the 900 ob- 
servations (thirty plants at thirty stations) give an accurate com- 
parison of the relative flowerings in different seasons. The values 
for the four years (1878-81), reckoning in days from January I, 
are 93, 115, 103, and 111, respectively, giving a mean date of 
105°3. It will be seen that, when such observations have been 
conducted over a sufficient period, important values can be de- 
duced as to the relation between the mean temperature and the 
mean date of flowering; that is, between temperature and 
vegetable growth. The comparison ought, probably, to be 
made with the mean temperature of the six months from 
December to May, the flowers having been chosen so as to be all 
out by or near the close of the latter month. 
That December (if not November) should be brought in will 
be apparent from the comparison of warmth and flowers in the 
following table:—Here the /ofal number of flowers found in 
bloom is compared with the mean temperature for the four, three, 
and ¢wo preceding months. The flower observations were made 
in the Christmas holidays, at Street, Somerset, chiefly by my- 
self ; a few, however, were by friends at Bridgwater twelve 
miles to the west. The periods were, for the four weeks begin- 
ning about December 15; but began a week later, and lasted 
only three weeks, in 1879-80 and 1880-81, For these years, 
therefore, an addition has been made of about one-ninth of the 
number actually seen (31 and 82); as comparison with other 
years shows that to be the proportion added in the fourth week. 
Again, in the first season, 1876-7, only 20 flowers were seen at 
Street, for I then had no idea of the numbers to be found by a 
little searching. The correction is made by comparison with 
Sidcot, in the Mendips, eighteen miles N.E., where for the four 
seasons, 1877 to 1880, respectively, 59, 62, 16, and 13 wild 
flowers were noted in January. Possibly, more experience would 
have slightly enlarzed the garden list. 
The éemperatures are supplied by Wm. S. Clark, whose obser- 
vations go back over twenty-five years. 
& Flowers. | Mean temperature. 
. 
[tee ui | | = 
io) wil | & 
¢ s o| SAalg | = Pace In the preceding 
Do | ese $75) 5 2 Z|Sept.| Oct. | Nov.| Dec. 
a o2|\=2| a \§ oo 
| ate | ae 4mos}3mos|2 mos 
| } | 
| 
1876-77| 4 | 67 | 20 | 120) 42°3 | 57°7 | 53°6 | 43'T | 43°3 | 49°4 | 46 7 | 43'2 
1877-78| 4.| 80 | 55 | 135% 39°8 | 522 | 488 | 45°4 | 40°3 | 46°7 | 448 | 42°8 
1878-79] 4| 20] 8 | 28 | 330 | 577] 51-7 | 38°6 | 324 | 44°9 | 40°6 | 350 
1879-80] 3 | 21 | 10 | 34% 45°6 | 56°4 | 50°4 | 39°3 | 37°0.| 44°4 | 40'2 | 35°2 
1880-81! 3 | 45 | 29 | 827| 37'3 59°9 | 45°0 | 42°5 | 43°4| 47°8 | 43°6 | 43°0 
1881-82| 4 | ror | 8&8 7839) 410 5575 | 401 | 49°0 | 40°2 | 47'7 | 45°1 | 44°6 
| | 
Now, on comparing these numbers, we find that the plant 
totals do not vary precisely according to any of the eight tem- 
perature columns, though closely related to the last. That is, 
the amount of early and late flowering is most affected by the 
temperature of the last two months in the year. In 18$0-1, the 
number of flowers was reduced by the severe frosts early in 
January, which practically cut off the last week of observation. 
The large number as compared to temperature in 1877-8, ap- 
pears to be explained by the regular decrease of warmth, without 
any great cold to cut off autumn stragglers. The comparative 
fewness of these in the present season (40 out of $$) should be 
ascribed to the abundance of new-comers. 
That the weather during the period is of less effect than that 
of the previous months, is evident by comparing this season 
with 1879-80, when the three weeks were the warmest of any 
season under consideration. 
We have already seen that the Sidcot observations confirm 
those at Street, the totals, though different, not varying very 
greatly. The same is true of observations in Devon and Corn- 
wall, where in 1876-7 Mr. W. B. Waterfall observed 103 wild 
flowers (N. H. J., vol. i. No. 1), whilst this year Mr. Wm. 
Waterfall has kindly sent mea list of 119. Twenty-five fresh 
ones have been observed, although eleven others were not again 
recorded, ‘* but they would no doubt be in bloom if looked for 
in the same locality.” 
* Corrected by comparison with the Sidcot list. 
? Corrected by allowance of } for an extra week. 
3 Six flowers being contained both in wild and garden list, deduction is 
made in the total accordingly. 
aed 
He also makes the following comparisons of date for four 
common flowers, to which I append the same, so far as recorded, 
for Street, Somerset. 
Devon and Cornwall. Street, Somerset. 
| 1876-7 | 1880-r | 1881-2 | 1876-7 | 1880-1 1881-2 
Evazeliverst tas ||) [any 05 | Dec. 18 | Dec. 26} Jan. 16 | Jan. 1 | Dec. 28 
Celandine ... | Jan 16! Dec. 25| Dec. 25 | Jan. 12 Dec. 25 Dec. 30 
Ground Ivy... | Feb. 16| Dee. 25 | Jan. 19 | Jan | Mar, 22 | Jan. 31 (about) 
Draba verna... | Jan. 4 | Dec. 25 | Dec. 12 | Jan. 7 
i} | 
ere iat Jan. 18 | Dec. 23 | Dec. 28 | | Jan. 8 
3 | | | 
The comparative dates shuw even more clearly than the totals 
how remarkably forward the early part of the present season 
was compared with 1876-7, whilst the corresponding part of the 
foregoing season, previous to the severe weather, was still more 
advanced. 
As regards classification, it is curious to notice that only three 
(wild flowers) were endogenous, the snowdrop and two grasses, 
Poa annua and Triticum repens. 
list under the various natural orders; 
The following is a complete 
S. stands for Spring 
blossom, R. for Remaniés (101 garden flowers were seen also). 
EXOGENS. 
Ranunculacee. 
Anemone nemorosa, S. 
Ranunculus acris, R. 
3 repens, R. 
bulbosus, R. 
Ficaria, S. 
9 
39 
Fumariacee. 
Fumaria officinalis, R. 
Crucifere. 
Cheiranthus Cheiri, S. 
Sinapis arvensis, R. 
Arabis thaliana, S. 
Barbarea vulgaris, R. 
Nasturtium officinale, R. 
Draba yerna, S. 
Capsella Bursa-pastoris, R. 
and S. 
Senebiera Coronopus, R. 
Lepidium campestre, R. 
Violacee. 
Viola odorata, S. 
5) Gallina, 9. 
», tricolor, R. and S. 
Caryophyllacee. 
Lychnis diurna, R. and S. 
Cerastium triviale, R. and S. 
Stellaria media, S. 
a3 Holostea, S. 
Hypericacee. 
Hypericum quadrangulum, 
R. 
Malvacee. 
Malva sylvestris, R. 
Geraniacee. 
Geranium molle, S. 
H Robertianum, R. 
Lesuminifere. 
Ulex europzus, S. 
Trifolium repens, R. 
A agrarium, R. 
Rosacee. 
Potentilla Fragariastrum, S. 
Rubus fruticosus, R. 
Prunus spinosa, S. 
Fragaria vesca, S. 
Geum urbanum, R. 
Crassulacee. 
Sedum acre, S. 
Cotyledon acre, S. 
Umobellifere. 
Silaus pratensis, R. 
Apium graveolens, R. 
Heracleum Sphondylium, R, 
Scandix Pecten-Veneris, S. 
Conium maculatum, R. and 
Ss. 
Araliacte. 
Hedera Helix, R. 
Rubiaceae. 
Galium Mollugo, R. 
Dipsacee. 
Dipsacus sylvestris, R. 
Scabiosa arvensis, S. 
Composite. 
Silybum Marianum, R. 
Chrysanthemum Leucanthe- 
mum, R. 
Achillea Millefolium, R. 
Senecio vulgaris, S. 
»,  Jacobzea, R. 
Matricaria Chamomilla, R. - 
Bellis perennis, S. 
Hypocheeris glabra, R. 
Leontodon autumnalis, R. 
Crepis virens, R. 
Hieracium umbellatum, R. 
ei murorum, R. 
Taraxacum Dens-Leonis, S. 
Apocynacee. 
Vinca major, S. 
3; minor, S- 
Scrophulariacec. 
Linaria spuria, R. 
», Cymbalaria, S. 
Veronica agrestis, S. 
Buxbaumii, S. 
arvensis, S. 
serpyllifolia, S. 
Chamezedrys, S- 
” 
” 
9 
Labiate. 
Stachys sylvatica, R. 
Lamium purpureum, S. 
a album, S. 
Galeobdolon, R- 
Ajuga reptans, R. 
Calamintha officinalis, R. 
Boraginacee. 
Myosotis arvensis, S. 
Borago officinalis, S. 
Primulacee. 
Primula vulgaris, S. 
Polygonacee. 
Rumex obtusifolius, R. 
