METEOROLOGICAL SUMMARY OF 1848. 
27 
trembling hopes of the farmer. The phenomena were awfully magnificent near Carshalton in Surrey, 
where, by one flash, a farm was struck, and suffered by fire to the amount of several hundred pounds. 
The barometer stood above 30 inches on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 12th to 19th, 30th and 
31st ; but it proved cf little avail, as even on the finest days the afternoons usually became changeable 
about 4 or 5 o’clock, and rain generally followed. 
September became the autumnal counterpart of May. The mercury had risen on the 1st to 30 in. 
28 cents., and it remained considerably above 30 in. (on the 16th, 30-43 cents.) except a trifling decline 
for a day or two, till the 19 th day. Weather could not be finer or more hilarious. The garden, in all of 
its departments, must have participated in the benefits thus conferred, and enhanced by the power of 
contrast. Gradually, however, the favourable concomitants receded under the influence of a change of 
wind to the east ; and on the equinoctial day — 22nd — when the sun entered Libra ; clouds formed on 
the 23rd, haze on the 24th, and much rain fell on the following days. The 30th morning was pretty 
fine ; but cirro-stratus, and dark threatening clouds, obscured in the evening. The averages were 49° 6 
per night, 64° 7 per day. 
October justified the equinoctial prognostic. The four first days were changeable — a little sun, and 
several showers. The four following were really fine and genial ; temperature from 55° to about 69°, 
but thence, and particularly whenever the wind came from N.E., the weather was decidedly and pro- 
fusely wet. The temperature declined, and became piercingly keen on the 18th and 19th. Rime was 
seen on the 31st morning by the writer, but the Tables of the Chiswick gardens exhibited actual frost 
before that date. The averages of the month are taken at 45° 5 to 55° 55 cents. 
November, by comparison, was favourable. The 1st hazy throughout — wind, E.N.E. — temperature, 
37° to 46°. 2nd fine from the west. A very little snow was seen on the 1st and 5th days. The 6th 
to 11th, inclusive, fine and sunny, in general; sharp frost (27° Fahr.) on the 5th morning: slight rimy 
frosts now and then ; still the average was mild ; wind N.W. to N. E. Gloom and rain succeeded. 
On the 16th another sharp morning frost of 6° (26 Fahr.) passed away by noon, when, the wind at 
W.S.W. raised the degree to 45° in the shade. This direction of the current remained much the same 
to the end of the month. It will, therefore, suffice to state that rain fell on each day till the 23rd, 
again profusely on the 26th, and as a mere drizzle on the 29th. The other days were dry though 
generally overcast. The barometer was high from the 9th to the 18th ; but its mark was rather low, 
that is, about 29 inches 70 cents during the other two-tliirds of the month. Thermometric averages 
37° 4 to 47 max. The chief atmospheric phenomena, were the brilliant meteors, and richly tinted 
Aurora of the 17th. One on the 22nd of October had been nearly as remarkable. 
December produced sixteen very fine days — all mild till the 21st, or winter solstice, which was bright 
even to splendour. Then frost came on : our lowest marks were 27°, 28°, 26°, 24°, and 30° of Fahr., 
the last being Christmas-day ; when the south-west wind raised the temperature to 45°. Alternate fine, 
dark, and moist intervals succeeded, and the month closed with haze and clouds. Barometer 30 inches 
10 cents. Wind north-east. The rainy periods included the 3rd to 8th — 14th, 15th, 16th : the last day 
proved the most dreary in its character that wind and driving rain could produce. The 19th, 25th, 
27th nights and 30th day conclude the sad catalogue. The north-east winds seemed to settle on the 
29th, 30th, and 31st. Otherwise, as during the whole year, their occurrence has been very rare. 
The barometric range corresponded nearly with that of November, and the thermometer averaged 
39° 2 cents as a minimum, and 46° 3 as maximum. 
The fall of rain, as tabulated in the “ Gardeners’ Chronicle,” is as follows : — 
1847- 
Inches. 
1847. 
Inches. 
1848. 
Inches. 
1848. 
Inches. 
January . 
. 1-31 
Brought forward 7 27 
January 
. . 1 1C 
Brought 
forward 16-08 
February 
. . 094 
August 
. . 1-50 
February 
. 3*12 
August 
. . 470 
March 
. 041 
September 
. 1 66 
March 
. . 3*05 
September 
. 2-20 
April . 
. . 0-92 
October 
. . 1*15 
April 
. 3-06 
October 
. . 2-93 
May 
. 1-59 
November : 
. 2-26 
May . 
. . 0*28 
November 
. 0-90 
June . 
. . 1-31 
December . 
. . 1-81 
June 
. 3*20 
December . 
. . 2-03 
July 
. 0-79 
— 
July . 
. . 2*21 
— 
— 
15*65 
— 
2884 
7*27 
16*08 
