26 
METEOROLOGICAL SUMMARY OF 1848. 
March proved, throughout, to be a disastrous month. February is expected to be rainy; but when 
January has previously been sufficiently wet, and the second month redundantly so, the land cannot but 
suffer from the excess occasioned by a still greater quantity of water which may fall during twenty days 
of a month, wherein brisk drying currents are naturally looked for. The 3rd, 14th, 18th, 23rd, 29th and 
31st were fine and bright days, the two last very warm, 60° and 70°. The phenomena worthy of a 
particular notice were, the barometer on the first day at 28° 90 cents., one degree of frost, early on the 
4th and 19th only, the Eclipse of the moon on the 19th transitorily obscured by rapid succession of 
heavy clouds, succeeded by the Vernal Equinox at 44 minutes before noon of the 20th. The concomi- 
tants of this critical intersection of the two great circles, were — barometer so low as 29 in. 11 cents. ; 
temperate heat reached at three periods, 36°, 50°, 42° ; wind south-west, weather showery, — all 
indicating a corresponding summer. Rain and dark weather followed, with the exception of the 23rd 
and 24th. The barometer and temperature rose during the last week, and the weather became fine at 
the close of it. The prevailing winds Avere westerly by south for twelve days, and by north for fourteen 
days : the drying, lively breezes of March, from north to east, were comparatively absent. Average 
temperature was 43°. The gardener suffered in common with the farmer, during this long season of 
dark, cold weather : the ground was swamped, and labour was interrupted. In the forcing departments 
it becomes a question of practical importance, which we put before our experienced readers, how far 
their plants, under glass, were affected by the general absence of the sun's unscreened rays 1 We know 
that in March, and during the advance of the sun along the ascending signs Aries and Taurus, the 
direct ray will frequently raise the thermometer more than 40° or 50° above that which is marked in 
the shade ; thus in March and April — when the atmosphere has been bright, the heat of a stove, with 
an aspect south by east, has been raised by the ray to 100° at the precise moment when an instrument 
suspended in the open air marked 50°. If this remark attract the notice of any one who is observant 
of meteorological phenomena, it may be found interesting to Avatch the indications of the thermometer 
similarly placed during the hottest days of J uly and August, when the course of the sun is passing 
through the descending signs of the ecliptic. 
April came in, as March had terminated, fine and hot : the wind north-east on the 1st and 2nd, and 
southerly on the 3rd, and north-west on the 4th. These four days were splendid — minimum 47° — 
maximum 70° plus, on an average. Barometer 30 inches to 30'11 cents. After the new moon of the 
third day, the current became fluctuating. The barometer declined, the heat abated, and the fine 
weather left us till the morning of the 28th, when the prognostics of improvement became manifest. 
There were seventeen days of rain between the 6th and 29th ; so that the fall of water greatly exceeded 
the average produced by the shoAvers of April in ordinary seasons. All the records bear ample testimony 
to the perplexities occasioned by the protraction of Aveather so unfavourable. The average of the nights 
Avas 41-4, that of the days 54*4. The fine and splendid season of the spring dates from April 29th to 
May 18th — the day of the full moon — both inclusive. During this period, the sun blazed from a 
cloudless sky : the Avind came from the east, chiefly by south. From the 18th to the 22nd a little rain 
fell — the mercurial column and the temperature declined. A great improvement soon took place, and 
the weather remained fine till the 30th, when rain set in with a decided change of wind to west- 
south-Avest. Average temperature 48° 26 and 68°. The fierce sun of this month proved injurious to 
crops in the fields, and to the bloom of fruit-bearing and flowering plants of the gardens : the grass of 
meadoAA^s and lawns was scorched also by the 24th of May, under an ardent sun which, on several 
occasions, raised the thermometer to 100°, 107°, and 110°, in the open air. 
June proved decidedly and injuriously wet, as will be seen by the division of the periods. The first 
five days Avere rainy, wind westerly by south, in Avhich quarter it continued till the 12th, when after 
wavy, cirro-stratus clouds, a severe thunder storm with heavy rain occurred. There were three fine days 
in this period. BetAveen the 13th and 23rd, four days with rain, and fi\^e of fine balmy weather ; wind 
varied between south-east and north, or north-west. The remainder of the month was wet, excepting 
the last day, when there was new moon at 10 h. 19 m. of the evening. Averages of the month 52° ; 
max. 66°^. 
Jidy is expected to be showery — and therefore the occurrence of seventeen days more or less, of 
rain, could not be deemed altogether unseasonable. The intervals of fine weather, with sun, stand thus 
in our register : — 4th, 5th, 6th days, Avind southerly ; highest temperature of the month, 79° on the 6th. 
The 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th partially hazy, but becoming beautifully fine — average about 71° ; Avind 
north by west to east-north-east. The 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, north-westerly, south-west on the last day, 
which became cloudy. (A thunder storm on the 14th evening.) 22nd fine, but cool ; wind south-west 
to the end, with the exception of a fcAV hours on the 20th which, and the 25th, were pretty fine. The 
wind came from north and north-east only on three distant days. The lowest average temperature 
marked 55° 22 ; the highest, 69° 22 cents. 
August: its first day brought to recollection the fearful storm of 1846. It did not cause much 
damage to glass erections, although to the agriculturist it proved truly ominous. Rain succeeded till the 
7th, which was fine throughout. 9th very shoAvery. 10th very fine, till 4 p.m. : then a powerful and 
protracted thunder storm arrested all the labour of the harvesters ; hence Ave trace but four pretty fine, 
solitary days till the 31st : all the others being very unseasonable, wet, or overcast. The wind generally 
south by the west. The 31st proved fine till 4 p.m., when heavy thunder, hail and rain, came on ; but 
this strife of the elements proved critical, and sufficed to neutralise the electricities, and confirm the 
