September G, 888. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
209 
T HE numerous weather records published in these columns during 
the past three or four weeks have been prepared in a much 
more instructive and interesting manner than we expected could 
result from our invitation. Meteorological data are usually supplied 
in a series of figure details or in tabular form, which cannot be said 
to furnish very entertaining reading, however useful they may ha 
for comparison. Our correspondents have taken a practical view 
of the matter, and instead of confining themselves to bare details 
of temperature or rainfall have illustrated them by the effects 
produced on fruit and vegetables, the flower garden occupants, 
trees, shrubs, &e. This is exactly what we desired, and our best 
thanks are due to all who have so readily assisted in recording the 
results of such an extraordinary season. 
There is a tendency to attribute the unsatisfactory appearance 
of many garden crops to excessive rainfall, but though heavy storms 
have occurred at intervals and wrought considerable damage on 
gardens and farms, yet the general effect is mainly attributable to 
other causes—namely, sunless days and low night temperatures. 
In the majority of districts it does not seem that the rainfall has 
exceeded the average for the first six or seven months of the year, 
and in some cases it is below the average ; but there has been a 
much larger proportion of wet days than is usual during June and 
July, and compared with these months last year this is of course 
still more remarkable. In one record from Hampshire, for ex¬ 
ample, it is shown that in June, 1887, the amount of rain regis¬ 
tered was T41 inch, while in the corresponding month this year 
3'31 inches fell. For July in the same garden (Swanmore Park), 
the difference is much greater. Thus in 1887, 0'2(3 inch of rain 
was measured, but this ye ir the record for the same month was 
5 - 48 inches, and only 94j hours of sunshine. At Horndean, also 
in Hampshire, 6*29 inches were registered in July, exceeding even 
one record from Westmoreland (Penrith), which is only G‘04 inches. 
From Cardiff Castle comes the heaviest record—namely, 7’35 inchts 
in twenty-seven days in July as compared with 1*51 inch last year. 
These are examples of the heaviest rainfall records we have re¬ 
ceived, but in many other districts they range from 4 to 5 inches. 
In naturally dry, shallow, well drained soils the gardens have 
benefited rather than otherwise, and several letters from the eastern 
counties refer to this, notably our correspondent at East Dereham. 
With a rainfall for July of 4 - 80 inches, he says, “It has been, on 
the whole, a fine time for this light sandy soil.” All the writers do 
not take pessimistic views of the situation, but few perhaps are so 
happily constituted as one of our Nottingham contributors, who 
remarks in a contented way, “ The wet, cold, and sunless weather 
which characterised June and July, and at which I have, with the 
rest of Britons, growled—ungrateful sinners !—has come to me, I 
i am constrained to confess, full of benedictions. I have forgotten 
the frowns of June and July in the smiles of August. My water 
cisterns were empty, they are now full. My garden was gasping 
for rain ; it is now full and plenteous with all manner of good 
things. The ladies get baskets and baskets of flowers daily, and 
plenty of fruit, and the cook is smiling and satisfied ; what more 
can a gardener want?” Unfortunately the “smiles” of early 
.August have been followed by very heavy “frowns,” which have 
not increased the happiness of gardeners or farmers. Still the re¬ 
plenishing of springs is a public advantage that will compensate for 
j many evils of a more partial character. 
No. 428.— Vol. XVII., Thibd Sebies. 
Regarding the temperature the Hampshire record may again be 
noted as that of a favoured district. It is stated—“ The tempera¬ 
ture reached 80° in the shade on six occasions only in Juno, the 
highest being 83° on the 24th. The lowest temperature registered 
was 42° during the night of the 17th. On ten nights only was the 
temperature above 50° during the month. July did not produce a 
single instance of the temperature going above 76°; this the highest 
on the 14th, while on fourteen occasions only did the heat reach 
over 70°, as against thirty-one times in 1887. The lowest tempe¬ 
rature this year was 39° on the 9tli, while on nine occasions the 
temperature was below 43°. On sixteen occasions during June last 
year the temperature was 80° in the shade, while on three days it 
went over 90°. During July last year the temperature reached 80° 
twenty six times. Nine nights only registered a heat below 52 
during the month.” In eastern and northern counties slight frost 
was registered on several days in July, not sufficient to do any 
material damage, but as one observer says, “ Kidney Beans hung their 
heads a little.” At Lockerbie in Dumfriesshire, however, as in 
other districts of Scotland, the cold was much more severe. On 
June 5th there were 7° of frost, and on the 30th 2°. In July there 
were 3° of frost on the 1st and 8th, 2° on the 11th, and slight 
frosts subsequently. In East Lothian the June frost did much 
damage, the earlier Strawberries were rendered worthless, Potatoes 
and Kidney Beans being similarly injured. 
Kitchen garden crops have been generally fully a fortnight late, 
in some places even more ; but one result of the rain has been a 
vigorous growth that in the case of most vegetables, except Peas 
and Beans, has been rather welcome after such a season as last j ear. 
Potatoes are disastrously diseased in too many gardens, a few have 
escaped, and some are only slightly affected, but the total loss is 
heavy. Small fruits have been plentiful, but watery and flavour¬ 
less. not keeping well, and in the case of Strawberries more par¬ 
ticularly many have decayed on the plants. Pears seem rather 
scarce, but Apples are a fair crop in a number of gardens, also 
Cherries and Plums, but the long-continued rain has not suited the 
stone fruits. Tomatoes outdoors appear to have failed everywhere. 
With the flower garden department most of the returns have 
dealt rather fully, probably because the weather effects have been 
most discernible there, especially where tender plants are largely 
empl ^yed. Respecting Pelargoniums the almost unanimous verdict 
is “ plenty of leaves but flowerless,” as applied to the Zonal 
varieties ; the bronze and variegated types have not, however, 
coloured or grown well, and many beds even now are thin. Very 
rarely have these plants given so much dissatisfaction, and where 
they are mainly relied upon for colour the display has been cor¬ 
respondingly dull. One variety has endured the weather compara¬ 
tively uninjured—namely, Henry Jacoby, and this is mentioned in 
favourable terms by several correspondents, as it also is notable in 
the London parks. West Brighton Gem and Vesuvius have 
“ braved the storm ” fairly well. Alternantheras have had a bad 
time, as the cold prevented growth and the sunless days gave them 
no chance to colour, most of the red-leaved varieties exetpt 
A. versicolor being quite out of character ; the golden forms, on 
the contrary, have brightened up surprisingly, and together with 
the golden Spergula pilifera have furnished the chief colour in 
carpet beds. 
The borders of hardy annuals and herbaceous plants lave been 
most valuable this season, as though many of the delicate plants 
have suffered, there have been plenty of others to take their places. 
Ten-week Stocks have succeeded well, as also have Phlox Drum- 
mondi, Mignonette, Nemophilas, Godetias, Linums, and Esch- 
scholtzias amongst other annuals. Of perennials a long list might 
be given, but some that have given most general favour are Violas 
and Pansies, Pseonies, Veronicas, Spiraeas, Campanulas, Pyrethrums, 
Delphiniums, Antirrhinums, Aquilegias, Irises, Pinks, Iberis, 
Phloxes, and Tuberous Begonias. Quite a chorus of satisfaction 
is expres-ed ccncen icg the last-named plants, which have to some 
No. 2084.—Vol. LXX1X., Old Sebies. 
