116 
J. HOPKINSON—PHENOLOGICAL PHENOMENA. 
Phenology o/1890. 
In the year 1890 vegetation was forward throughout the whole 
period of observation, January to July, but not to any great extent, 
the mean being only 3*3 days early. Of the 60 selected species 20 
came into flower later than the mean of 1876-88, 37 earlier, and 
3 on the same day as the mean. 
Of the 30 spring flowers 7 appeared after the mean date, 20 
before it, and 3 on the same day as the mean ; and of the 30 summer 
flowers 13 appeared after the mean date and 17 before it. The 
spring flowers were on the average 4*3 days early, and the summer 
flowers 2'3 days early. 
The average date of flowering of the first 20 species is 5*4 days 
early ; of the next 20, 3 - 7 days; and of the last 20, not quite one 
day (0*8). Thus vegetation was most forward in the early spring, 
rather less forward towards the end of spring, and very little 
forward in the summer. 
Of each group of 10 species every one is early; the second being 
the earliest, and the fourth and first following closely in succession ; 
while the fifth is about the mean, and the third and sixth are only 
slightly forward. The average for February is 4‘9 days early; 
for March 6 0 days; for April 2‘2 ; for May 5*3; for June 0*2; 
and for July 1'4. 
January was very warm, February very cold, but this seems to 
have had no retarding effect upon vegetation. March and May 
were rather warm, April and June rather cold, and in July the 
temperature was considerably below the average. Although our 
wild flowers were early throughout the spring and summer, the 
effect of the cold weather in April, June, and July is apparent in 
their comparative backwardness in those months. In January, 
Mr. Willis says, “ the mildness of the weather caused many plants, 
especially the primrose, to produce blooms in great profusion; in 
February “the general appearance of the winter crops was satis¬ 
factory ; ” in March, “ although the season was early, the occasional 
cold nights sufficed to prevent that inopportune and over-hasty 
development of vegetable growth which comes of mild weather 
without a break;” in May “the weather for the most part was 
pleasant and summer-like, although the winds occasionally were 
harsh and strong ; ” and in July the weather was less disastrous to 
the grain crops than in either of the three previous years, “ al¬ 
though much of the grain was sadly ‘lodged’ and many green 
stems were growing through, greatly interfering with satisfactory 
ripening, and also with the operation of cutting.” 
July, August, and September had practically the same tem¬ 
perature, September being about as much warmer than usual as 
July and August were colder; nevertheless the last species on our 
list, the ivy, was late in coming into flower, apparently showing 
that it was influenced by the cold weather which prevailed at least 
. six weeks before its flowers appeared. 
