DUNEDIN'S CLIMATE.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15015, 9 July 1914, Page 9

DUNEDIN'S CLIMATE.

I INTERESTING STATISTICS. (SrECIAI, TO " I *TIIH rRESS.") DUNEDIN, July S. Northoni friends think our weatheisomothing upon which to commiserate with us, but Mr D. Tannock, euperintcndont of city reserves, demonstrated to tho Ot&go Instituto by figures that oven in climatic conditions Dunedin compares not unfavourably with other centres. Tho taost interesting thing about Dunedin (said tho lecturer), was tho rainfall. Iv tho- twelve months end]ed Slarch 31st, June was tho driest \ month, only .91in of rain falling, and tho wettest was August, in wh_9_f7..__in fell. "Now tho mean temperatures in tho shado in the fi.ro principal centres wero: —Auckland 58deg, Wellington 55.2-.eg., Christchurch 51.8deg., Dunedin 51.1deg., and Invercargill SOdeg. The mean maximum temperatures wore? —Auckland 64.1deg., Wellington 61.1 deg., Christchurch 60.tia.eg., Dunedin 58deg, and Invercargill 58_3 deg. Tho mean minimum temperatures were:—Auckland 68.9deg., Wellington SO.ldeg., Christctiurch 43d0g., Dunedin _4.2deg., and Invercargill 4_._2 deg. Dunedin was third, and this minimum temperature had an important bearing on gardening, because it was the. minimum that decided whether a plant was hardy or not. Ono half-hour of frost of, a certain number of degrees might kill a plant. Owing to Duncdin's high minimum temperature plants could be grown there which would not grow in other centres. So far ho himself had experienced no difficulty in growing all tho North Island native plants. As to rainfall, the figures for tho year were? 37.04 in., Wellington 49.29 tn., Christchnrch 20.12 in.. Dunedin 42.26 m.,"and Invercargill _8.82 in., but, to the number of days on which ram fell, Christchurch was 'lowest •wfth 138, Dunedin next with 170. Auckland next with 181, and Wellington and Invercargill tied with 213.