PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 89 



Butler at Woodstock, that the thermometer at midnight on the llth of February 

 indicated 25 degs. ; on the 12th, 19 degs. ; on the 13th, 15 degs. ; and on the 14th, 

 10 degs. ; thus confirming White's theory, " that frosts advance to their utmost 

 severity by somewhat of a regular gradation." Another theory of White's is, " that 

 intense frosts seldom take place till the earth is completely glutted and chilled with 

 water," giving as examples the winters of 1739-40 and 17G8, which set in after wet 

 autumns. Most of you will recollect that last autumn was with us unusually dry, 

 so much so, that the springs supplying many of the public wells were dried up 

 amongst them, that of St. Canice's Well, an event which had not been known to 

 occur before. White, in describing the situation of his plantations, and the manner 

 in which the shrubs were affected, thus writes u It was in such an aspect (sheltered) 

 that the snow on the author's evergreens was melted every day, and frozen intensely 

 every night ; so that the laurustines, bays, laurels, and arbutuses looked, in three 

 or four days, as if they had been burnt in the fire ; while a neighbour's plantation 

 of the same kind, in a high, cold situation, where the snow was never melted at all, 

 remained uninjured." " From hence (continues White) I would infer, that it is 

 the repeated melting and freezing of the snow that is so fatal to vegetation, rather 

 than the severity of the cold." 



I quote this passage as it so well describes the appearance of the same shrubs 

 which have been blasted by the frost in this vicinity ; although the Rev. James 

 Graves tells me, that at his father's residence, the Rectory of Coolcullen, about 

 nine miles from Kilkenny,* and eight hundred feet above the level of the sea, 

 shrubs of the same kind were not injured, owing to the coldness of the situation ; 

 and Mr. Jesse, in a note in his edition of White's " Selborne," states, that " a few 

 years ago, laurels, laurustines, &c., were killed to the ground in the more sheltered 

 situations, while those in bleak, exposed situations escaped. Tender plants have 

 more chance of surviving frost when in cold spots than when in those more 

 sheltered. The sap is kept back, and, of course, the plants are not so likely to be 

 affected by the frosts." 



To this I may add, that if there were sufficient snow upon the ground to wrap up 

 the more humble vegetation, plants on a high, cold situation, or those planted at 

 the north side of a wall or hedge, would suffer less than plants of the same kind in 

 more sheltered spots, or those planted at the south side of a wall, as in the former 

 localities the snow would continue longer. I have here a plant, in a pot, of the 

 Deodar pine, which is one of a large number plunged in a border of Mr. Fennessy's 

 nursery ; you will observe so much of the plant as was enveloped in snow is quite 

 green the upper part, not having been so protected, is quite brown, and 1 fear 

 destroyed ; this illustrates very well the manner in which plants are saved in very 

 cold countries from the ravages of frost ; since it is so ordained, that in those 

 countries where cold is the most intense, that there the covering of snow is the 

 deepest. In this beautiful arrangement of nature, we must recognise design that 

 is, u an adaptation of means to an end" in this case the snow being the means and 

 the end, the saving of vegetable life, which without such a covering would cease to 

 exist in the northern regions. 



One of the consequences of the late frost was, that the River Nore, between St. 

 John's-bridge and Green's-bridge, was frozen over, a circumstance which had not 

 taken place since the winter of 1813-14. As those who do not recollect this winter, 

 have heard of it, I have made inquiries of several persons about its severity and 

 effects. One of my informants (Mr. Fennessy's foreman) has been employed in 

 the Kilkenny nurseries for the last forty -three years ; he assures me that ever- 

 greens were not affected by the frost of 1814 as they have been this year; and I 

 am convinced that he is correct in saying so ; for some splendid specimens of 

 arbutus, aristotelia, Chinese privet, and bay have been killed in the Castle 

 gardens these very large shrubs must have been, at least, fifty years old ; the frost 

 has also destroyed the fine hedge of laurustinus which crowned the Castle wall, 

 and formed so striking and pleasing a feature in that beautiful view to be had from. 

 St. John's-bridge a view to which Kilkenny-men may direct the eyes of strangers 

 with feelings of pride and pleasure. I have been unable to learn the lowest degree 



* Kilkenny stands about 186 feet above the level of the sea. 



