23 



DIVISION III.— S. MIDLAND COUNTIES. 



Meteorological Observations on the Year 1879 prom Bed- 

 fordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, 

 Huntingdonshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. 



Beds. Rainfall, great during the summer, combined with a low 

 temp, and absence of sun (Biggleswade). Excepting 1875, this is 

 the wettest year since 1852 (Bedford). Min. rainfall, Cardington, 

 alt., 142 ft. ; hi, 36 ft. ; 24-21 ins. ; Do., alt., 106 ft. ; ht., ft. 

 ins. ; 29*10 ins., or 7*06 ins. above av. of 20 years. Max., Biggles- 

 wade, ht., 1 ft. 3 ins. ; 30*50 ins., on 150 days. Min. temps., Car- 

 dington, alt., 109 ft. ; Dec. 7th, 2° ; Aspley Guise, alt., 433 ft. ; 

 10°*4. 



Plants injured, 1879-80—4 (1), 16 (2), 4 (2), at 1 place. 



Bucks. Rainfall, great for first 9 months ; 28*50 ins., or nearly 

 4 ins. more than in same period of the wet year, 1872. The last 

 3 months gave only 2*33 ins. (Addington). 8*25 ins. above av. of 8 

 yrs. (Langley). Min. rainfall, Olney, ht., 8 ins. ; 27*12 ins. : Max., 

 Aylesbury, alt., 280 ft. ; ht., 1 ft. ; 39*25 ins., on 181 days. Vege- 

 tation of all kinds suffered very much from the excessive rainfall, 

 want of sunshine and low temp. Permanent injury has probably 

 been done to some trees, as Peaches, the wood never getting ripe ; 

 leaves not shed on Dec. 31st. Many floods causing loss of hay (Ad- 

 dington). . Min. temp., Addington, alt., 309 ft. ; Dec. 7th, 5°. 



Plants injured, 1879-80—68 (1), 14 (2), 24 (3), total at 4 

 places. 



Cambs. Rainfall, very heavy, May to Aug. ; but much below av. 

 for the last 3 months (Cambridge) ; about 3 ins. above av. of 7 yrs. 

 (March). Min. rainfall, Chatteris, ht., 1 ft. ; 21*56 ins., on 228 

 days : max., Caxton, alt., 127 ft. ; ht., 1 ft. ; 32*83 ins. Harvest 

 very late and deficient (Cambridge). Min. temps., Babraham Hall,* 

 Dec. 7th, 6*30 a.m., -7° [too low ?]. Cambridge, alt., 40 ft. ; Dec. 

 7th, -1° : Do., alt., 90 ft. ; 0°. Royston, alt., 274 ft. ; Dec. 7th, 

 11°*6. 



Gard. Chron. 1879, p. 765. 



