PRESIDENT S ADDRESS. 
.341 
Lychnis dioica ranges from April 21st, 1891, to May 13th, 1888, 
a period of only twenty-two days, and Anthriscus sylvestris from 
April 12th, 1893 and 1894, to May 6th, 1891, a period of twenty- 
four days. This table also includes details as to the dates of the 
commencement of the hay harvest, the appearance of the lirst ears 
of wheat, and the commencement and conclusion of the corn 
harvest. The last two items show the dates of the first notes of 
the Cuckoo and Nightingale. I regret that 1 am unable to add 
the dates of the first arrivals of birds and insects. 
Comparing the three last tables with those relating to 
temperature, it is at once seen what an important part 
temperature plays in the development of vegetable life. 
Commencing with the year 1888, when (see Table III.) the 
mean temperature of every month from January to August 
inclusive was below tho average, wo find in Tables VIII., IX., and 
X. a corresponding retardation in the first leafing and flowering, in 
fact in nearly every instance the greatest number of latest dates 
of the series are this year recorded, up to tho conclusion of 
harvest, twenty in all. In 1891, also, when tho mean temperature 
of the spring and summer were much below the average, sixteen 
of the dates are the latest. On the other hand, in 1893, when 
every month from February to August was above its mean value 
(except the month of June which was about average), there are 
no less than twenty-five of the earliest dates recorded, in fact 
these three years give the extremes of mean temperature in each 
case over a considerable period, and the greatest majority of the 
extremes of the phenological tables. In other years there are 
exceptionally warm, and exceptionally cold months, but in most 
cases such months have been counterbalanced by opposite weather 
speedily ensuing, with the result that the phenological dates have 
not been affected in so marked a manner as when the abnormal 
temperature has been continuous. 
Many other interesting facts will be brought to light by a closer 
comparison of the tables, and if only time had allowed me 
1 should have gone into greater detail, but the limits of this paper 
compel me to bring these remarks to a conclusion, hoping that 
