METEOROLOGY ; IMPORTATIONS  OF  GRAIN ; SALES  OF 
BRITISH  WHEAT  ; PRICES  OF  CORN  AND  OTHER 
PRODUCE;  AGRICULTURAL  STATISTICS;  AND  STA- 
TISTICS OF  DAIRY  PRODUCE. 
[The  facts  are  derived  chiefly  from  the  Meteorological  Reports  of  Mr. 
Glaisher,  and  the  Returns  of  the  Board  of  Trade  and  of  the  Inspector- 
General  of  Imports  and  Exports.] 
METEOROLOGY.— 1882. 
First  Quarter  ( January , February,  March). — The  mean  reading  of 
the  barometer  during  the  quarter  was  30- 03  inches,  and  was  more 
than  a quarter  of  an  inch  above  the  mean  reading  for  the  corre- 
sponding period  of  40  years. 
The  weather  in  January  was  remarkable  for  very  high  readings 
of  the  barometer  and  high  mean  atmospheric  pressure  for  the 
month;  total  absence  of  snow,  the  very  few  nights  on  which  the 
temperature  on  the  grass  was  below  32°,  and  consequently  very  few 
and  slight  frosts,  and  almost  total  absence  of  north  and  north-east 
winds.  It  was  a mild  pleasant  month,  being  very  warm  during 
the  first  fortnight,  and  the  last  5 days  with  a rainfall  below  the 
average ; at  the  end  of  the  month  all  agriculture  was  a month  in 
advance,  and  many  flowers  were  in  blossom  in  addition  to  the 
usual  January  flowers. 
The  weather  in  February  was  mild  and  pleasant,  with  a high 
barometer  continuing  till  near  the  end  of  the  month,  and  a high 
temperature  from  the  11th  day;  vegetation  was  very  forward  at 
the  end  of  the  month. 
The  weather  in  March  was  singularly  mild  and  pleasant,  being 
exceptionally  warm  during  the  first  20  days,  and  quite  genial ; 
on  the  21st  and  22nd,  a little  snow  was  general  over  the  country, 
and  the  temperature  on  the  21st,  22nd,  and  23rd  was  slightly  below 
the  average,  but  it  became  warm  again  on  the  24th.  The  weather 
from  November  to  this  time  was  most  favourable  for  farming  work, 
and  at  the  end  of  the  quarter  vegetation  was  very  forward. 
VOL.  XIX.— S.  S.  A 
