January 13, 1912 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE 



35 



WEATHER OF 1911- 



The firet nin-si montlis of the past year will 

 long- be remembered by gardeners and 

 farmers alike, especially in the Midland and 

 South- Western coxintiee, as being by far the 

 driest period on record. Tliere was nothing 

 approaching it since 1847, w^hen the rainfall 

 in the south for the first nine monthiS of that 

 year was 11.40 inches, and as the remaining 

 three months in 1847 were also dry, the 

 total fall for the year was only 17.58 

 Inches. 



13ut, though the first nine months of 1847 

 w^ere so dry, the eame period this year even 

 beat that record, for only 10.41 inchas of rain 

 fell as measured in my rain guage, which is 

 157 feet above sea level, and is too far from 

 the hills to be affected by them. But the 

 laist three months of the past year were wet, 

 and in some places the rainfall was so heavy 

 as to bring the total up to near the average ; 

 while in other districts it has even been over 

 the average. AVith us, however, not far from 

 the city of Gloucester, the rainfall for the 

 year up t^^ December 29 was very near the 

 normal^ being 22.69 inches. 



Those whose memories will carry them back 

 as far as 1851, may recollect the dry period 

 that was then experienced, for during the 

 last four months of that year there was only 

 5.63 inches of rain. This was followed bv the 

 wetteist year on record, when there was a 

 fall in the South of England of over fiftv 

 and a-half inches. Tliere are many who can 

 recollect as far back as 1858, who will no 

 doubt remember that extraordinary year, 

 when July wae by far the wettest month of 

 the whole twelve. Up to the end of Septem- 

 ber there was a fall of 13.57 inches, of which 

 more than a quarter w^as contributed in 

 July. The fall for the whole year being 19.36 

 inches. Well do I remember the dry summer 

 of 1868, but it wa8 only of ehort duration, for 

 the rainfall of that year up to the end of 

 September was 19.97 inches. It must, how- 

 eTer, be mentioned that January, 1868, was 

 a very wet month, contributing nearly four 

 and a-half inches, and December 6.51 inches, 

 bringing up the total fall for the year to 

 30.51 inches. This was followed by one of the 

 mildest winters on record. 



We next come to 1870, which, up to the end 

 of September, had produced only 13.37 inches, 

 but the three last months brought ixp th 

 total to 24.99. Again, in 1874, we had a dry 

 period, the rainfall to the end of September 

 being 15.49 inches, and the fall for the whole 

 year 24.65 inches. There have been several 

 dry periods since, but none of very long 

 duration; the driest of all was in 1893, when 

 in some plaocis, between the first week in 

 March and the end of June, hardly any rain 

 fell ; but July of that year was very wet, 

 there being heavy thunder storms in places. 

 January and February were also wet months, 

 there being a fall of" over seven inches, but 

 the weather cleared up in March, and there 

 was but little rain between that month and 

 July, but by the end of September there had 

 been a fall of 17.69. 



I mention the foregoing as showing that 

 there has not been such a long period of 

 drought since a record of the rainfall was 

 kept; and, having compared these with that 

 of the present year, it will be seen that no 

 1^7*^^ ^PPi^oaching it is to be found since 

 1847. But there are other conditions besides 

 the rainfall that make the year 1911 a re- 

 markable one, as will be seen by looking more 

 iuliy into the details of the conditions of 

 each month separately. January was mild up 

 to the end, when there was a sharp frost. 

 Uur thermometer registered 15 degrees. Be- 

 tween the 12th and the end of the month the 

 weather was fine, which enabled us to pro- 

 ' fvu outside work. Tlie readings 



the baromotcr were verv high, only on one 

 occasion did it fall l>elow 30. The rainfall 

 tor the month wa,. .91 inches. 



l ehruary oywuvd with frost, but this was 

 " Short duration, onlv lasting a few uiol,ts, 

 •titer which the tompju-atuiv ro<e. and"lho 

 ^nonUi throughout was comparativclv niild 

 X 1 ^sp'^^'ially u]) to the i;ith, after 

 ^wiicu there were slight ehowers most davs 



until the end, the total rainfall being 1.28 

 inches. The barometer for the first half was 

 very high. 



March was a showery mouth, rain falling 

 on fifteen days the total fall being 2.15 

 inches. During the latter part the prevail- 

 ing wind was from the north, and, though 

 there were no severe fronts, the nights were 

 cold, as only on two occasions did the 

 minimum -exceed 40 degrees, and this in the 

 early part of the montli. 



April wa.s a dry month, there being only 

 .78 of rain. The wind for the first half 

 was northerly, and the night temperature 

 was low. The barometer was high througli- 

 oiit the month. 



In May gonial weather as a rule prevailed, 

 but there was no exceptionally high tempera- 

 ture until the latter part of the month, w^lion 

 on several occasions the thermometer rose in 

 tho shade to over 80 degreets. The month 

 throughout w-as very dry, the total rainfall 

 being .77 inches. 



June was a fine genial month, and only on 

 six occasions did the maximum fail to reach 

 70 degrees in the shade. The niglit tempera- 

 tures were for the most part also high, the 

 average being 48 degrees, though on the 10th 

 the temperature fell to 36 degrees. Rainfall 

 was partial, but here w2 registered 2.24 

 inches. 



The weather in July was quite exceptional ; 

 day after day the skies were like steel, not 

 a cloud to b3' seen. The temparatures in the 

 daytime w^ere very high. On nineteen days 

 it exceeded 80 degrees in the .^hade, in addi- 

 tion to five others w^lien w^e registered over 

 90 degrees. It was remarkable that, although 

 the w^eather was so hot, and at times very 

 close, there was no thunder storms. The 

 barometer wa^ steady throughout the month, 

 and the only rain we registered was .07 inch, 

 and this at the end of the month. 



In August, also, the day tem}>erature was 

 very high. On six occasions the maximum 

 xcesded 90 degrees in the shade, the highest 

 being 99 degrees, on the 9tli ; while on twelve 

 others it was over 80 degrees. The rainfall 

 for the month was 1.35 inches, and the baro- 

 meter w^as steadv. 



The maximum temperature for the first 

 tw^elve days in September were also very 

 high, on eight occasions the reading 

 ceeded 80 degrees in the shade, and on two 

 over 90 degrees. After the 12th there was a 

 considerabLs fall in the temperature both 

 day and night, this was especially so from 

 the 14tli to the 17th ; while on the 21st w^e 

 registered one degree of frost. The barome- 

 ter was high throughout the month. Rainfall, 

 most of which fell after the 19th, was .86 

 inches. 



The early part of October was fine though 

 somewhat foggy; on the 13th we had .64 

 inches of rain, and from the 19th to the 

 end of the month there was rain more or 

 less every day, though only in small quanti- 

 ties, the total fall being 2.95 inches. Tlie 

 temperature was not high during the month, 

 tliD highest reading being 59 degrees. Only 

 on two occasions did the temperature fall 

 below 32 degrees, consequently the month 

 throughout was mild, and the pastures 

 resumed somewhat of their usual appear- 

 ance. 



In November there were only nine days in 

 which there was no fall of rain, the total fall 

 being 3.07. Tire heaviest fall in any twenty- 

 four hours was on the 11th, when we regis- 

 tered .49 inches. The month for the most 

 part was mild, but on the 21st eleven degrre^s 

 of frost were registered, which considerably 

 checked vegetation ; excepting for that check 

 grass continued to grow, and the fields once 

 more looked fresh and green. 



During December the weather was mild 

 throughout. On eight occasions the maximum 

 readings were over 50 degrees in the shade, 

 while on only three occasions was there any 

 frost regi.-^tered. Rain fell more or less on 

 twenty-oight days, the total fall up to the 

 2^)th innncr 6.26 inches. Tlie barometer was 

 very iriTgular, and only on occasi<ui did the 

 reading exceed 30; while the wind for the 

 most part wa-> south or !-outh-east. So endeth 

 one of the mo.-.t remarkable years on record. 



H. C. Prixsep. 



EXHIBITIONS AND 



MEETINGS. 



4- 



Royal Horticultural Society. 



The firpit meeting of the year was a good 

 one, but the hall was not crowded, either 

 with exhibits or visitors. Orchids were a 

 good featnre, while carnations, apples, liome- 

 grow^u oranges, and ferns were other notable 

 .subjects on view. The Orchid Committee 

 had nincli business to transact, about forty 

 ])lants b.eing submitted for awards. The 

 Chairman of this committee, w^itli his usual 

 generosity, added to his New Year'^ wishes 

 a printed co]iy of tlie orchid awards granted 

 in 1911, and a printed copy of new hybrid 

 orchidis and their percentage, for the year 

 1911; needless to say, his kindnet^cs was 

 greatly appreciated. Novelties on Tuesday, 

 January 9, included a good new^ pear, named 

 Mrs. Seden. 



FLORAL C0MMIT1T:E. 



Mr. H. Burnett. Guernsey, brought over 

 some beautiful carnations, and exhibited 

 hunches of charming flowers of Scarlet Glow^ 

 AVhite Enchantress, Mrs. C. F. Raphael, 

 Marmion, White Perfection, May Day, 

 Mikado, Marmion. 



Messrs. Barr and Sons, Covent Garden, 

 had on view a number of snowdrops, freetsias^ 

 gerl>eras, primulas, and a collection of small- 

 leaved ivies. 



Lady Northcliffe, a fine rich pink per- 

 petual carnation, wdth fringed petals, and a 

 sweet fragrance, was capitally shown by Mr. 

 C. Engelniann, Saffron Walden. The flower 

 ic> carried on a good stem, and ha.s a perfect 

 calvx. 



Very beautiful were the camellias from 

 Messrs. Wm. Paul and Son, Waltliam Cross, 

 which filled one corner of the hall. The 

 plants w^ere pictures of health, and carried 

 abundance of flowers ; the older double forms 

 were well in evidence, but the single or tsemi- 

 double Apollo, Adelina Patti, Mars, Doncka- 

 laari, Waltham Glory, and Festa Avere espe- 

 cially admired. 



Messrs. H. B. May and Sons, Edmonton, 

 contributed a collection of adiantums, the 

 newer plumofia nephrolepis, davallias. and a 

 collection of elegant hardy varictie-s of Poly- 

 podium vulgare, P. v. pulcherrimum, P. v. 

 cambricum, P. v. multifidum, and P. v. cam- 

 bricum Barrowi were all charming. 



PerjDetual carnations were admirably shown 

 by Messrs. Wm. Cutbush and Son, Uighgate, 

 and the charming flowers in a variety of 

 colours, well set up; the same tirm showed 

 hellebores, early irises, the pretty witch 

 hazels, heaths, liliums. 



Mes^srs. W. Wells and Co.. Merstham, had 

 a small exhibit of carnations, and showed 

 White Houde and White ^Vonder in good 

 condition. 



Zonal ])elargoniums came from ]\[essi\s. H. 

 Cannell and Sons, Swanley, and these, set up 

 in big bunches, contributed a hue bank of 

 colour, and served to indicate varieties useful 

 for winter flowering. 



Mr. E. Guile, The Gardens, Short Grove, 

 Newport, staged a pretty rose-pink perpetual 

 carnation, named Lady Meyer, a variety of 



great promise. 



Messrs. Youno- and Co.. Hatherley, also 

 showed per]jetual carnations, and their chief 

 variety was a new seedling, named A. H. 

 Montgomery, a shapely flower ol a particu- 

 larly bright purplish-lavender hue, quite dis- 

 tinct, and very attractive. 



A bright exhibit from Messrs. Jas. Veitch 

 and Sons included greenhouse rhododen- 

 drons, the beautiful and rare IJrceolina 

 aurea, frcesias, the fine Winter Cheer be- 

 gonia, Indian azaleas, and camellias, the 

 useful winter-flowering Moschosma riparia, 

 and Coleus tlivr>oideus. 



Mcs>r>. Stnnvt Low and Co., Enfield, dis- 

 played laiiiatinn-^ in great variety, and made 

 a feature of Lady Alington and Baronets de 

 Brienen ; with the?e were fine strains of 

 cyclamens, the plants staged in baskets of a 

 variety. 



