REPOET ON METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS AT WISLEY. 133 



September. — The weather of this month showed a considerable 

 improvement over that of the preceding summer and was dry and 

 generally fair, with an average amount of sunshine over the southern 

 half of the Kingdom, but somewhat less than the average amount over 

 the northern portion. The mean temperature was nowhere much 

 above the average, and in most districts was somewhat below it, the 

 warmest days being those with which the month closed. A night frost 

 which occurred on the 21st was very destructive to dahlias. The rain- 

 fall was exceptionally small for September, the month being one of the 

 digest Septembers on record. At Wisley a measurable amount of rain 

 fell only on four days; and the total fall only amounted to 0*6 inch, 

 nearly the whole of which fell on the 13th-14th. The general rain- 

 fall over England and Wales was one-quarter of the average, and 

 it was very little more than that for the whole of the British Isles. 

 The prevailing winds were from north and north-east, but there were 

 no strong winds throughout the month. 



The results from Wisley are as follows: — 



Mean temperature of the air in shade 55°. 7 



Highest „ ,, „ 74°.4 on the 28th 



Lowest ,, „ ,, ... ... ... ... 54°.4 ,, 1st 



Lowest ,, on the grass ... ... ... ... 28*^'. 2 ,, 21st 



Number of nights of ground frost 2 



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

 deep. deep. deep. 



Mean temperature of the soil at 9 a.m. ... o7°.l 57°. 3 57°.7 



Highest „ „ „ 60°.9 60°.0 59°.l 



Lowest „ „ „ 53°.0 55°.3 56°.4 



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



represented by 100) 82 % 



Rain fell on 4 days, to the total depth of 0-60 in. 



(Equivalent to about 2f gallons of water to the square yard.) 



Heaviest fall on any day • 0-42 in. on the 13th 



The prevailing winds were from north-east and north. 

 The average velocity of the wind was 3-| miles an hour. 



There were 135 hours of bright sunshine, equal to 36 per cent, of the greatest possible 

 amount. 



There were 5 days on which no sunshine was recorded. 



October. — The outstanding feature of the weather of this month was 

 the remarkably high mean temperature, and in most districts the entire 

 absence of frosts even on the surface of the ground. At Wisley the 

 screened thermometer did not fall below 37^^, and on the grass it only 

 once fell as^low as the freezing point. So far as vegetation was con- 

 cerned the nights were never cold enough to materially affect it. Sun- 

 shine was, however, generally deficient, and at Wisley only sixty-seven 

 hours were registered, or but one-fifth of the possible amount. The 

 wind .at Wisley was mainly from north-east, and occasionally it blew 

 rather strongly. Eainfall was in excess of the average over the 

 southern counties, but was somewhat below it over the northern parts 

 of the Kingdom; during the opening days of the month, however, there 

 was a continuance of the dry weather which had been so noticeable a 

 feature of the preceding month. 



