180 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
March  1,  1900. 
THE  WEATHER  OF  1899. 
There  is  a  weather  proverb  which  says,  “A  dry  year  never 
beggars  the  master.”  Recent  years  have  proved  that  this  saying  is 
on  the  whole  a  very  true  one,  but  for  once  it  has  undeniably  proved 
a  failure ;  and  it  is  certain  that  all  interested  in  farming  and  all 
other  branches  of  agriculture  will  long  remember  the  disastrous 
effects  upon  vegetation  of  the  great  heat  and  drought  of  the  summer 
of  the  last  year  but  one  of  the  nineteenth  century.  The  summer, 
indeed,  was  by  far  the  most  remarkable  within  living  memory,  and 
it  great  heat  is  undoubtedly  the  most  important  meteorological 
phenomenon  of  the  year. 
In  many  respects  the  chief  features  of  the  year  bear  a  striking 
resemblance  to  those  of  its  predecessors.  The  same  warmth  in  each 
case  characterised  the  opening  months,  followed  by  a  cold  spring, 
hot  dry  summer,  and  mild  autumn.  In  some  other  respects,  how¬ 
ever,  the  weather  was  vastly  different ;  December  in  the  one  case 
being  warm  almost  beyond  precedent,  and  in  the  other  much  colder 
than  the  average  ;  while  in  1898  the  warmth  at  the  commencement 
of  the  year  was  accompanied  by  wonderfully  fine  dry  conditions,  but 
in  the  year  under  review  January  and  the  first  half  of  February  were 
characterised  by  very  stormy  and  wet  weather. 
These  unsettled  conditions  were  succeeded  by  very  fine  dry 
weather  during  the  latter  half  of  February,  and  also  throughout  the 
greater  part  of  March,  with  the  exception  of  a  very  severe  period  of 
cold  from  the  16th  to  the  25th.  April  was  wet  and  somewhat  cold. 
May,  for  the  second  year  in  succession,  was  very  cold ;  fine  weather, 
however,  prevailed  at  the  commencement  and  end  of  the  month,  the 
middle  portion  being  wet.  With  June  came  an  entire  change  from 
the  inclement  conditions  of  the  spring  to  sunshine  and  warmth,  this 
continuing  with  the  exception  of  a  few  cold  days  at  the  com¬ 
mencement  of  July  until  half  of  September  was  gone,  when  autumnal 
conditions  set  in.  After  a  period  of  wet  and  somewhat  stormy  weather 
during  the  next  fortnight  conditions  again  became  settled,  and  the 
greater  part  of  October  was  wonderfully  fine,  although  at  times 
foggy  in  some  districts.  November  commenced  with  ten  days  or 
so  of  considerable  rainfall  and  a  good  deal  of  wind,  but  then  again  fine 
weather  returned,  lasting  until  the  close  of  the  month,  with  much  fog, 
however,  and  generally  dull  skies.  The  last  month  of  the  year  was  as 
a  whole  cold  and  wintry. 
Although  it  is  impossible  to  give  an  exhaustive  account  of  the 
rainfall  of  the  year,  its  general  distribution  over  our  islands  will  be 
seen  from  the  following  table,  which  gives  the  details  of  fall  at  eight 
selected  stations. 
1899. 
Aberd’n 
Leith  Liverp’l  Valencia 
JBristol 
J  ersey 
Oxford 
London 
ins. 
ins. 
ItiS. 
ins. 
ins. 
ins. 
ins. 
ins. 
January  .. 
.  S-.80 
3-38 
2-93 
7-66 
5  17 
4-64 
2-85 
2-57 
±i'ebruary.. 
.  2‘2l 
1  24 
1-46 
7-21 
3-91 
1-84 
1-92 
2-05 
March 
.  2-71 
1-78 
1-06 
3-56 
1-17 
0-65 
0-25 
( -43 
April 
.  3-15 
2  00 
223 
5-80 
3-46 
3-i2 
1-83 
2-47 
May . 
.  2-72 
3-49 
2-19 
2-83 
2-27 
2-55 
1-37 
1-27 
June . 
.  112 
1-28 
2-98 
2-56 
1-54 
111 
1-05 
0-92 
July . 
.  3-73 
3  12 
2-19 
2-60 
0-68 
0-54 
1-28 
0-86 
August  .. 
.  0  72 
0'56 
21H 
5-36 
1-44 
0-41 
1-80 
0-30 
September 
3’G5 
2-96 
3-4G 
3-33 
3  79 
3-28 
2-28 
3-43 
October  .. 
.  0-75 
0'92 
2  93 
3-30 
3-69 
1-14 
2-69 
2-22 
JNovember 
1-32 
1-89 
1-09 
6-43 
3-12 
3-86 
2-62 
4-23 
December 
4-81 
217 
2-72 
11-29 
3-41 
3-02 
1-30 
1-28 
Total  fall.. 
.  3019 
24-79 
27-39 
60-93 
33-65 
26-26 
21-04 
22-03 
Averages .. 
.  30  84 
23-35 
28-93 
55-80 
34-88 
34-18 
25-72 
24-84 
Difference  I 
f  m  av’age  J 
[•-O-Oo 
-bl-44 
—  1-54 
-f5-13 
-1-23 
-7-92 
-4-68 
-2-81 
The  rainfall  upon  the  whole,  therefore,  was  generally  deficient, 
although  not  nearly  to  the  extent  that  it  was  in  1898.  It  will  be 
seen  that  March  and  the  three  summer  months  show  the  greatest 
deficiency,  the  falls  at  some  stations  during  the  first  and  last  of  these 
months  being  remarkably  small.  In  December  unusually  heavy 
rainfalls  occurred  in  the  west  and  south  of  Ireland,  totalling,  it  will 
be  noticed,  to  over  11  inches  at  Valencia. 
Mean  atmospheric  pressure  over  our  islands  was  generally  in 
excess  of  the  average  after  February,  with  the  exception  of  April, 
September,  and  December.  The  greatest  pressure  reported  at  8  a.m. 
was  30'77  inches  at^York,  on  January  26th  :  and  the  least  28'30  inches 
and  less,  over  the  south-west  of  our  islands,  on  December  29th — a 
range  of  2^  inches. 
The  mean  temperature  of  the  twelve  months  is  considerably  in 
excess  of  the  averages.  In  the  second  table  given  the  means  for  each 
month  and  also  for  the  year  at  eight  stations  situated  over  our  islands 
will  be  seen. 
1899.  Aberd’n 
Leith 
Liverp’l 
Valencia  Bristol 
Jersey 
Oxford 
London 
degs. 
degs. 
degs. 
degs. 
degs. 
degs. 
degs. 
degs. 
January  ... 
36-4 
38-3 
41-0 
44  0 
42-2 
47-1 
42-0 
43-0 
February 
38-8 
40-0 
41-1 
46-2 
42-7 
45'9 
42-3 
42-9 
March 
40-2 
42-2 
42-7 
45-9 
41-9 
44-9 
41-5 
41-5 
April 
43-1 
44-8 
46-5 
48-5 
47-0 
49-7 
47-5 
48-5 
May 
46-1 
47-8 
50-0 
51-8 
51-4 
53-4 
51-5 
53-0 
June 
56.1 
58-1 
59-5 
58-6 
61-0 
61-8 
60-9 
62-8 
July 
59-7 
60-9 
56-1 
60-4 
64-2 
64-4 
65-5 
67-5 
August  ... 
57-6 
61-4 
63-8 
64-1 
66-7 
68-6 
65-6 
68-2 
September 
52-2  . 
54-6 
65-9 
57-4 
5S-3 
62-2 
58-0 
59-0 
October  ... 
48-7 
49-2 
49-4 
51-8 
49-6 
55-6 
485 
50-1 
November 
46-8 
47-8 
48-8 
51-3 
48-5 
51-6 
46-7 
47-8 
December 
37-0 
35-8 
37-0 
45-8 
36-6 
42-3 
35-9 
37T 
Mean 
46-9 
48-4 
49.7 
62-1 
50-8 
54-0 
50-5 
51-8 
Av,  mean 
46-2 
47-7 
48-8 
51-0 
49-2 
51-9 
48-8 
49-9 
Departure  1 
f’m.  av’age  J 
+  0-7 
+0-7 
+0-9 
+  1'1 
+1*6 
+  2-1 
+1-7 
+  1-9 
The  means  are  those  of  the  daily  maximum  and  minimum  readings, 
and  are  not  corrected  for  diurnal  range.  The  means  for  only  two 
months.  May  and  December,  show  a  general  deficiency  of  temperature 
over  our  islands.  On  the  other  hand  the  figures  for  February,  the 
three  summer  months,  and  November  are  almost  without  exception 
in  excess.  January  also  was  warmer  than  the  average,  except  in  the 
North,  and  October  excepting  central  England,  where  the  anti-cyclonic 
conditions  prevailing  throughout  the  greater  part  of  the  month  caused 
somewhat  low  temperatures  during  the  night  time.  Taking  the  year 
as  a  whole,  it  was  slightly  cooler  than  its  predecessor,  chiefly  owing 
to  the  great  difference  of  the  means  for  each  December,  this  amounting 
to  no  less  that  10°  at  some  stations.  The  greatest  temperature  reported 
over  our  islands  during  the  year  was  90°  at  London  on  August  25tb, 
and  the  least  8°  at  Loughborough  on  December  14th,  a  range  of  82°. 
With  the  exception  of  the  short  period  of  excessive  cold  in  March, 
the  year  was  entirely  free  from  severe  snowstorms.  During  this 
period  some  heavy  storms  occurred  in  the  north  and  north-east. 
Thunderstorms  were  fairly  frequent  throughout  the  summer  months. 
Many  storms  also  occurred  during  the  winter,  spring,  and  autumn, 
March  being  the  only  month  during  which  none  were  reported.  In 
the  south-west  of  England  some  exceedingly  heavy  storms  occurred 
early  in  February. 
Gales  were  very  frequent  during  January,  and  the  earlier  parts  of 
February  and  November  ;  but  taking  the  year  as  a  whole  they  were 
not  very  prevalent.  The  most  serious  occurred  on  January  12th, 
generally  over  our  islands;  and  on  April  7th  on  our  western  coast. 
— H.  H.  Harding,  F.R.MekSoe.,  Bristol. 
BEGONIA  GLOIRE  HE  SCEAUX. 
This  Begonia  is  one  of  the  handsomest  both  in  leaf  and  flower  of 
the  winter-flowering  section  of  these  useful  and  attractive  plants.  It 
merits  extensive  culture,  alike  for  its  compact  habit  of  growth  and 
free  flowering  qualities  at  a  season  of  the  year  when  flowers  are  not 
plentiful.  It  is  moderately  tall  in  growth,  though  at  the  same  time  of 
an  upright,  sturdy,  and  compact  character.  The  leaves  are  large  and 
of  a  rich  bronzy  lustre  on  the  upper  surface  and  crimson  beneath. 
They  are  more  than  ordinarily  attractive,  and  of  course  add  to  the 
value  of  the  plant  as  a  decorative  specimen,  and  enhance  the  beauty 
of  the  flowers,  which  are  freely  produced,  and  are  large,  flat,  of  a 
soft,  silky,  rosy  pink  colour.  The  compact  habit  is  chiefly  due  to  its 
branching  freely  when  it  has  become  fairly  established  in  vigour,  and 
the  roots  have  taken  possession  of  the  soil.  When  a  plant  commences 
to  flower  it  continues  to  do  so  almost  perpetually,  if  in  a  suitable 
temperature  for  making  progress,  and  the  plants  have  previously  been 
well  grown. 
B.  Gloire  de  Sceaux  (fig.  48),  is  chiefly  propagated  from  cuttings, 
which  are  produced  from  the  older  plants  after  flowering.  It  is 
frequently  necessary  to  curtail  the  tendency  of  the  plant  to  flower  in 
order  to  obtain  cuttings  to  provide  stock  for  another  season,  young 
plants  usually  being  the  better  and  more  vigorous  bloomers.  The 
cuttings  may  be  obtained  from  the  young  growths  which  push  from 
the  base,  and  ought  to  be  inserted  during  this  month  or  early  in 
April  if  good  plants  are  required.  Prepare  a  light,  sandy,  open 
compost  of  loam,  leaf  soil,  peat,  and  sand.  Place  this  into  3-iDch 
pots,  and  insert  the  cuttings  an  inch  apart  around  the  edges.  Stand 
the  pots  on  a  moist  base  in  a  brisk  bottom  heat,  and  in  a  top  tempera¬ 
ture  of  65°  to  70°.  They  may  be  kept  fairly  close  to  maintain  the 
cuttings  fresh  and  encourage  their  rooting,  and  when  this  has  taken 
place  allow  growth  to  proceed  for  a  time,  then  take  off  the  tops.  If 
more  plants  are  wanted  insert  these  as  cuttings.  When  the  topped 
plants  have  pushed  fresh  growth  turn  them  out  of  the  pots,  divide, 
and  pot  singly  in  3-inch  pots,  using  similar  compost  with  the  addition 
of  charcoal  crushed  fine. 
