FOR PLANTING IN SCOTLAND. 65 



usual fibrous rend of fir-timber, and when young the wood is 

 beautifully spotted wuth darkish eyes like the markings of bird's- 

 eye maple. 



P. insignis is very liable in this country to suffer from the 

 ravages of the Hylurgus 'piniperda, or pine beetle ; this little 

 pest seeming to have a decided preference for it. It is not, 

 however, liable to be readily attacked by rabbits. 



It is to be feared that the only conclusion to be drawn 

 from the preceding evidence of the true amount of hardiness 

 hitherto evinced by this pine generally over the area of 

 Britain is, that while in some particular localities, notably the 

 south and south-western counties of England, and a wide area 

 of Ireland, it may be grown profitably as a timber tree in 

 quantity, its chief use and suitability in our climate generally 

 will be to enhance, as specimen trees, the beauty of the scenery 

 of the lawns and pleasure grounds, — for which its rich coloured 

 foliage and finely feathered sweeping branches so admirably 

 adapt it. 



THE EFFECTS OF THE SEVERE FROST OF THE WINTER 

 1879-80 UPON TREES AND SHRUBS. 



- By Robert Hutchison of Carlowrie. 



[Fremium — Five Sovereigns.'] 



It seldom if ever, has fallen to the lot of any meteorological 

 student or close observer of nature to record in succession two 

 winters of unwontedly severe character in tlie climate of the 

 British Isles. Mercifully we are exempt from winters of undue 

 severity except at long interv^als ; so long, indeed, as to make 

 these exceptional seasons stand out in full prominence, and to 

 render them, in the literal sense of the w^ord, " memorable." 

 During the past twenty years, however, whether from any 

 climatic change of the seasons — whether from, as is sometimes 

 alleged, the diversion of the course of the Clulf Stream — whether 

 from the presence of sun-spots of unusual magnitude, or from 

 any other of the many whimsical reasons too frequently assigned 

 and rashly advanced for any unusual phenomena in the physical 

 world — it has been the lot of the present generation, during the 

 period mentioned, to experience four winters of unparalleled 

 severity, and each marked by an extreme Idwness of temperature 

 quite abnormal to the J>ritish climate. 



Tlie winter of 18G0-()1, so frequently now quoted as " memor- 

 able " for its frost and snows and persistent severity, left its 

 mark upon our woodlands and gardens, some of which are to 

 the present time still unoblitcrated by the softer txjuch of more 



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