METEOROLOGICAL NOTES. 313 



The weather continued mild in the first half of February, but was cold and 

 dry afterwards. Frost was registered 11 times in the stand and 6 other nights on 

 grass. The mean of the daily maxima (46"1), was 6'2 lower than January, 

 that of the minima 8'2 ; and the mean temperature of the month (42'6) was 2"6 

 below the average. The rainfall was less than the average, but not greatly. 



March was still more strongly characterised in the same way. The mean of 

 the maxima was 1'4, that of the minima I'l below the average. The mean 

 temperature was still nearly 5o below January, and sharp frosts were frequent. 

 At Altarnun there were 27 frosty nights. The rainfall (1*39) was little more than 

 one third of the average, and it only occurred at all on 10 days. Mr. Glaisher's 

 summary for the Greenwich centre for these two months will apply vsdth some 

 slight differences to this county : "On the last day of Jauuai-y a cold period again 

 set in, and continued very nearly to the end of the quarter, the direction of the 

 wind was almost continuously east or a compound of the ea«t till March 24th, and 

 the average deficiency of temperature for the 54 daj s ending March 24th, was 

 more than 3o daily." He adds, what vsdll not apply so closely to our season, the 

 cold of December having here been less intense, "taking into account the 

 very severe weather from 21st November to 1st January, and from 31st January 

 to the end of the quarter, with the long continuance of east wind, this vnnter 

 has been one of most unusual severity." 



April followed suit, being generally cold, dry, and bright. Although still 1'7 

 below the average, there was a material rise in the mean of the maxima, which 

 reached 5G<-', 3'7 higher than in January, — but the mean cold of night (40'6), 

 2"! below the average, exceeded that of January (45'4) still more The rainfall 

 was a good deal below the average at Truro and Bodmin, but above it at Penzance 

 and Helston. The number of rainy days was less than usual everywhere. The 

 last four days were marked by a rise of temperature, and ushered in a genial May. 

 The mean of the maxima was 63'3, 1'3 above the average; that of the minima 

 46'5, 0"8 above the average ; the highest tempei-ature being 76", the lowest 37°. At 

 Bodmin, the mean temperature of the month 60'5, was nearly 5" above the average. 

 The rainfall at Truro, as at Helston and Plymouth, was rather below the average; 

 but the proportion was just reversed at Bodmin and Altarnun ; the number of 

 rainy days was a little in excess at all stations. 



June began fairly, but was generally a wet month and rather ungenial, 

 although the mean temperature was about the average, owing chiefly to cloudy 

 nights, the mean of the maximum (652), being lo below the average, that of the 

 minimum 52n, being just equally above it. The rainfall was only slightly in 

 excess at Truro, but just double the average at Altarnun, " the wettest June on 

 record here," and even more in excess at Plymouth, where the number of rainy 

 days, which was above one-third greater than the mean at all the Cornish stations, 

 was 2^ times in excess of it. Mr. Glaisher remarks for the country generally, " that 

 up to the 26th April, vegetation was between 2 and 3 weeks late. On the 27th, a 

 warm period set in and continued, with few exceptions, throughout the whole 

 month of May, which was fine and dry till the 10th of June ; the average excess 

 of mean temperature for these 45 days was 3o daily ; vegetation, which had made 

 great progress in May, was as forward on the 10th of June as in the average of 

 seasons." This account is fairly correct for Cornwall. The hay harvest was 

 rather late, but abundant. 



