Editorial Notes. 60 



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gross, sappy growths, made under the influence of the moist, 

 " muggy " summer and autumn, by many of our trees and shrubs, 

 evergreens especially, will tell a woeful tale amongst them if it is 

 followed by a winter of severe frost. Fortunately the early part of the 

 winter has been remarkably mild, and the last month unusually dry, 

 so that vegetation has had an excellent opportunity to ripen and brace 

 itself up against the severe winter that may yet put to the test its 

 stamina and hardihood. Most species of Coniferie have made fine 

 growths, which have now arrived at such a state of maturity that 

 none except the tenderest sorts are likely to suffer much injury from 

 any ordinary amount of frost ; but we doubt if broad-leaved ever- 

 greens are so well prepared to withstand a severe or long-continued 

 storm, such as played havoc among them in 1856 and 1860. 



Most of the broad-leaved evergreens have continued to grow right on 

 to the shortest day, and growth made in the dull da}'s of autumn and 

 winter can never be properly matured and ripened; but this is only 

 half the evil, as growth going on keeps the whole system of the plant 

 in action and full of sap, retaining it in the worst possible condition 

 to withstand the severities of winter, and liable to be killed right off 

 during the first hard frost. Ehododendrons, common and Portugal 

 laurels, hollies, aucubas, laurustinas, and such like are clothed with a 

 profusion of unusually large foliage, which, we hope, will get safely 

 through the next two months without any serious injury. 



The holly is richly laden with its scarlet berries, which contrast so 

 beautifully with its dark green glossy foliage, quite enlivening our 

 woods and shruberies at this dull season of the year with its charm- 

 ing glow of warm colour. From all parts of the country we hear of 

 a heavy crop of holly-berries, in marked contrast to the scarcity which 

 prevailed in most localities last year. Christmas has seldom had a 

 finer or more plentiful supply of this most necessary adj unct to a due 

 observance of its ceremonies and gaities ; as, owing to the open weather, 

 food of other kinds has been so plentiful for the " songsters of the 

 grove," that they do not appear to have yet acquired a taste for the 

 season's holly-berries. Hips and haws appear to be also a plentiful 

 crop in most districts, so that the birds have an ample store of food 

 against all continsfencies. 



