METEOKOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS AT WISLEY IN 1908. 49 



that being the highest reading recorded there for the month, and to 

 upwards of 80° in some parts of the kingdom. In some places there were 

 sharp ground-frosts also at the opening of the month, chiefly in the 

 north and over central England, but at Wisley 32° was reached only on 

 the night of the 12th. In Berkshire a heavy storm of rain, hail and snow 

 was experienced on the 11th, and at Canterbury a deluge of hail and rain 

 accompanied a thunderstorm on the same day. The rainfall was consider- 

 ably more than the average in the north but was much below it in the 

 south of England ; the total fall at the Garden was 1*29 inches, whilst on 

 the Essex coast it did not exceed an inch. Bright sunshine was deficient 



Fig. 16. 



Upper diagram shows the annual distribution of winds round the compass. 

 The prevalence of calms is indicated on the same scale by the diameter of 

 the circle. 



Lower diagram shows the mean velocity of the wind for each month of the 

 year. 



over the north but slightly in excess of the average on the south coast, 

 and at Wisley it amounted to 41 per cent, of the possible amount. 

 Observations made at Wisley : 



Mean temperature of the air in shade ... 56°-0 



Highest „ „ „ 77°-2 on the 30th 



Lowest „ „ „ ... ... 36°-3 „ ,13th 



Lowest „ on the grass 32°-3 „ 13th 



At 1 ft. At 2 ft. At 4 ft. 

 deep. deep. deep. 



Mean temperature of the soil at 9 a.m 56°-3 57°-6 57°-4 



Highest „ „ „ 59°-7 59°-3 59°-3 



Lowest „ „ „ 53°-7 56°-3 56°-6 



Mean relative humidity of the air at 9 a.m. (complete saturation being 



represented by 100) ... -81% 



VOL. XXXV. E 



