384 THE GARDENER. [Aug. 



Some of the Vines that he planted are more than fifty years old, and are doing 

 well, under restricted treatment, in a " border of Red Hopland ; " the average 

 rainfall being about 32 inches, as taken by !Mr Hunter. Being fond of botany, he 

 was always in search of something new in plants, and, about fifty years ago, he 

 formed one of a small party who established a botanical field society, and occa- 

 sionally searched and became acquainted with all the plants of the south Shropshire 

 hills and gullies. 



REPORTS OF THE WEATHER. 



The summer of 1871 will long be remembered for its unusually low temperature. 

 The thermometer at Drumlanrig Gardens indicated 14° below freezing on June 

 26, and some of the more tender things, such as Ageratum, in the lower grounds, 

 were " touched." On the same date the Common Bracken (Pteris Aquilina) was 

 killed to the ground, and Potatoes blackened in Nottinghamshire and other parts 

 of England. 



Perhaps it may be interesting to some of the numerous readers of the 'Gardener ' 

 to see a report of the weather from this neighbourhood. 



Mean temperature for April — min. 34. 2°, max. 54. 6°. On the 7th, 8th, and 10th 

 the temperature fell 8°, 7°, and 10" below freezing respectively ; rainfall 4.01. On 

 twenty-three days of this month either rain or snow fell. 



Mean temperature for May — min. 37.2% max. 65.8°. On the 17th the tempera- 

 ture fell 8° below freezing ; rainfall 1.02. On nine days of this month rain fell. 



Mean temperature for June — min. 42.3°, max. 67°. On the 5th the thermometer 

 registered 31°, or 1° below freezing. From 2d of June up to the 14th vegetation 

 was almost at a standstill ; rain was very much wanted ; north and east winds 

 prevailed. Rain came on the 14 th, which improved vegetation greatly; rainfall 

 3.00. On thirteen days of this month rain fell. 



The frost on the 17th of May was very injurious to the fruit crop in this 

 locality. Peaches and Apricots against the wall, about three-fourths of them 

 dropped oflF after the severe frost of the above date. Peaches are a very bad 

 crop ; Apricots a moderate one; Cherries are a very bad crop, except the Morello, 

 which is a fair average ; Pears, some of the varieties are an average ; Apples are a 

 moderate crop ; Plums, good ; Damsons, very heavy ; Gooseberries, very moder- 

 ate ; Red and Black Currants, heavy ; Raspberries, good ; Strawberries, some of 

 the varieties very heavy — viz., Keen's Seedling, President, and Victoria (Trol- 

 lope's) ; the Elton Pine, average ; Black Prince, Sir Henry, and Marguerite very 

 middling. The three first-named sorts are always great bearers here ; Sir Henry 

 generally bears well also, but the last severe winter was very destructive to the 

 plants of that variety. Marguerite is too tender for this place ; Dr Hogg is like- 

 wise delicate here. J. Finlat. 



Meldon Park, Morpeth, Northumberland. 



"Weather in Germany — Hanover, July 16. — Our weather has not been agree- 

 able ; either rainy or dreadfully warm. Thunderstorms have been very frequent, 

 and severe in their consequences ; in one village the damage done is 50,000 thalers. 

 Fruit has been greatly injured ; Strawberries scarce and small ; Cherries are nasty 

 little hard things, not nice at all ; Gooseberries are not ripe. Formerly some 

 sorts of fruit have failed, but this year every kind has suffered. There is no abund- 

 ance of any kind, and it is believed that there will be no better for next winter. 



