92 
METEOROLOGY-CORRESPONDENCE. 
Mt^au pressure was about 30-010; the highest mean reading of the 
barometer, 30’760, happened on the 23rd—24th, and the lowest, 28-935, 
on the 2nd. 
Temperature was above the average, and the mean value may be 
stated as 41-5. Some eighteen grass frosts were observed ; and only 
three frosts at four feet above ground. The mean amount of cloud 
was 6-5 (scale 0 to 10), and relative humidity 91%. The absolute 
maximum in sun’s rays was 117-3, at Stokesay, on the 24th; and the 
absolute minimum on grass 20-7, on the 16th, at Strelley. Bright 
sunshine 74-8 hours or 28% at Hodsock, 71-3 hours or 26% at Strelley, 
and 71-4 hours at Blackpool. The mean temperature of the soil at one 
foot was 39-7 at Hodsock, 39-3 at Strelley, and 42-6 at Cardiff. At four 
feet at Cardiff 45-2 was the value. 
The mean amount of ozone was 5-0 at Carmarthen, and 7*4 at 
Blackpool. Lunar halos on 12th, 16th, 19th, and 21st. Some snow 
and hail between the 11th and 19th, with electrical disturbances. 
Notes by Observers.— More Rectory. —Blackbirds, thrushes, and 
chaffinches in full song, and vegetation very forward. Tean .—The 
bright sunshine and dry searching winds which prevailed during the 
last ten days effected a wonderful improvement in agricultural pros¬ 
pects in this district. Oakamoor .—Blackbirds and thrushes heard in 
the Churnet Valley Woods on the 1st. All spring flowers in full 
bloom. 
As WE ARE NOT FAR FROM A SUNSPOT MAXIMUM it is Worthy of UOtc 
that on February 24th, on carefully scanning the sun’s disc with an 
instrument of 2f inches clear aperture, I could not detect one single 
spot.— Clement L. Wragge, Edinburgh. 
The Weather, it seems, like history, repeats itself. The Rev. 
J. C. Bloomfield writes from Lauuton Rectory that the following 
record of the weather is written on the fly-leaf of a Register of 
Bicester Church:—“ June the 19th, 1763. It began raining and con¬ 
tinued mostly wet weather till the begining of February, 1764, and a 
perpetual flood for the most part of November, December, January, 
and the beginning of February—fifteen weeks.”—J. M. Downing, 
Dowles, near Bewdley. 
Vagaries of the Season.— In a garden in the southern suburbs of 
Birmingham the following flowers were gathered on New Year’s Day 
in the present year:—Christmas Roses, Erica carnea, Tussilago 
fragrans. Primroses, Polyanthuses, Blue Hepaticas, and a bud of 
Gloire de Dijon rose. A new shoot of Clematis Jackmanni measured 
6in. in length; new growth on rose bushes from lin. to 2in. long, 
honeysucldes were breaking into leaf, and many other plants showed 
signs of growth. About noon on the same day, a number of gnats 
were seen flying about as though spring had arrived. To-day (March 
24th) how changed is everything in the same garden ; spring flowers of 
many kinds which three weeks before were plentiful are now all cut up 
by frost and the east wind ; all kinds of trees and shrubs look miserable 
in the extreme, and have I fear, suffered severely.—E. W. B. 
