MR SELBY ON THE WINTER OF 1 83H. 19 1 



many years past in this district, has most of it been destroyed to the root ; 

 and, I find, that even such plants as remained partially green during the 

 last summer, in consequence of some slight nourishment from the stem, 

 are now all withered and dead, a result, however, I had anticipated from 

 the appearance of the bark when it was examined last spring after the 

 melting of the snow. In the midland and southern parts of England, 

 where a still greater degree of cold prevailed, as indicated by the ther- 

 mometer, and where no protection was afforded by a deep covering of 

 snow, the destructive effects of the frost were more extensive, and few, 

 except the hardiest evergreens, escaped without more or less injury, 

 some being killed outright, others destroyed to the root, or totally de- 

 nuded of their leaves ; and rt so happened that many shrubs and trees, 

 which in the north of England and Scotland shewed but trifling symp- 

 toms of injury, were, farther to the south, unable to resist the rigour of 

 the cold. Thus, in a few short days, or perhaps hours, perished most of 

 those beautiful evergreens and other ornamental shrubs which add so 

 essentially to the elegant appearance of our country residences, and 

 which form so prominent and peculiar a feature in English ornamental 

 gardening ; many of these had attained a growth of thirty or forty years, 

 and were flourishing in the greatest perfection, having braved our usual 

 winters without suffering any material injury. The loss, I may add, is 

 still more severely felt, as time alone can repair it ; and it is only the 

 young and rising generation who can, even under the most favourable 

 circumstances, again expect to behold a new succession equal to that 

 which perished in the winter of 1838. Among the evergreens which 

 shewed an aptitude to bear an unwonted degree of cold uninjured, 

 or only injured to a trifling extent, the Holly, the Rhododendrons Pon- 

 ticum, catawbiense, ferrugineum, &c., the Yew, Box, Arbor Vitae, and the 

 Red Virginian Cedar, stood conspicuous ; the Portugal Laurel also, ex- 

 cept in very exposed situations, was not materially injured, and the 

 common or large bay-leaved Laurel, in our own premises, escaped in most 

 instances with the loss of the tender part of the shoot of the preceding 

 season. Of the degree of cold experienced during the continuance of 

 this storm, we have authentic accounts of the thermometer having de- 

 scended to 4 and even 7 below zero, or 36 and 39 below freezing, in 

 the midland and southern parts of the Island. In this and adjacent dis- 

 tricts it does not appear to have reached this intensity, the following be- 

 ing observations on which dependence can be placed. At Kelso, 140 

 feet above the sea-level, it fell to 3 F. on the night of the 21st January 

 1838, and during the continuance of the storm was frequently observed 

 at 5 and 8 F. At Mellerstein, about 500 feet above the sea, a self- 

 regulating thermometer of Adie's marked it at 2 F. during the nights 

 of January 20. and 21. 1838. At Greeukuow, near Gordon, and con- 

 siderably higher than Mellerstein, 3 F. on the night of 21st January. And 

 at Mertoun House about the 14th or 15th January, a common thermo- 



