METEOEOLOGY ; IMPOETATIONS OF GEAIN ; SALES OF 
BEITISTI WHEAT ; PEICES OF COEN AND OTHEE 
PEODUCE; AGEICULTUEAL STATISTICS; AND STA- 
TISTICS OF DAIEY PEODUCE. 
[The facts are derived chiefly from the Meteorological Eeports of Mr. 
Glaisher, and the Returns of the Board of Trade, and of the Inspector- 
General OF Imports and Exports.] 
METEOEOLOGY.— 1872. 
First Quarter {January, February, March). — The warm weather 
which set in on December 13th, 1871, continued with very few 
exceptions till the 18th March — then followed eight days of severe 
cold weather, and snow fell over the country, even to the South 
Coast, and over the counties of Devonshire and Cornwall. This 
cold period was very severely felt, owing to its suddenness and 
great contrast to the long continued high temperature of the pre- 
ceding ninety-seven days. The remaining five days of the quarter 
were warm — and Mr. Glaisher states that he does not know any 
instance of so remarkable a cold period as that ending December 
12th, 1871, being followed by as remarkable a warm one as that 
ending March I8th, 1872. The remarkable feature of the winter 
now under review is the long continuance of high temperature 
following immediately so remarkable a long continuance of weather 
of low temperature. For 100 years back, the warmth of the past 
three months has been but once equalled, viz., in 1846, and has 
never been exceeded. The mean temperature of January was 41°-3 
or 5° higher than the average of 101 years ; that of February was 
44°-8 or 6°'3 higher than the average, and the mean temperature of 
March was 44°-6 or 3''-7 in excess of the average. The mean tem- 
perature in the three months ending February, constituting the 
three winter months, was 41°'5 or 3°-5 higher than the average of 
101 years. 
The fall of rain in February was only one half of its average, but 
in January and March it was in excess. 
Hardy Pear was in blossom on the 9th of March at Llandudno ; on 
VOL. IX. — S. S. A 
