48 E. MAWLEY-PHENOLOGICAL PHENOMENA, 1902. 
26 per cent, in excess, mangolds 23 per cent, in excess, hay (from 
clover, etc.) 26 per cent, in excess, and hay (from permanent 
pastures) 23 per cent, in excess of the ten years’ average. Indeed, 
the only deficient crop was that of potatoes, which is estimated at 
25 per cent, in defect of its average yield. 
The fruit-crops, according to the returns sent in to the ‘ Gardeners’ 
Chronicle,’ were, taking the county as a whole, very poor, the 
crops of apples, pears, plums, cherries, gooseberries, raspberries, 
and currants being all below the average. On the other hand, 
the yield of strawberries, although it varied a good deal in different 
places, was on the whole a fairly good one. 
Mrs. Bishop, writing from The Platts, Watford, on October 1st, 
states that her apples were a poor crop, and most of them very 
small and blighted; indeed, the Blenheim oranges were absurdly 
small. On this point our valued Harpenden observer, Mr. Willis, 
writes : “ There were many rainy days in 1902, but the rainfall 
was deficient. This lack of water was severely felt by all deep¬ 
rooting vegetation such as fruit-trees. These produced abundance 
of blossom, but the greater part, especially of plums and cherries, 
fell off. The apples even, although they were formed, could not 
be brought to maturity by the trees, and they accordingly pre¬ 
maturely fell or developed puny fruits.” He adds : “ There were 
good grain-crops, but the excessive rain of August considerably 
damaged the corn after it was cut, and much sprouted while 
standing in the shock.” 
In order to illustrate the character of the season I set up a large 
number of choice rose-blooms at the Berkhamsted Chrysanthemum 
Show, which was held on November 12th, and also flowering 
specimens of fifty-four different kinds of other plants—all gathered 
from the open ground in my garden. On the 18th of the same 
month I exhibited at the Boyal Horticultural Society’s Exhibition 
in London an equally good exhibit of cut roses. On November 14th 
“ a lovely lot of roses” was gathered by Mrs. Bishop at Watford. 
The last plant on the list, the ivy, was eight days late in coming 
into flower. 
The swallow took its departure two days later than its mean 
date for the previous eleven years. 
