60 EFFECTS OF THE SEVERE WINTER OF 1854-5 UPON 



In low, dewy situations, where hoar-frost falls thick, and the 

 nocturnal mists hang longest, hollies, though they grow rapidly, 

 are peculiarly subject to these occasional injuries from frost. 

 In such situations many of the finest old hollies in Northumber- 

 land were destroyed in the winter of 1854-5 ; being killed not 

 only quite to the ground, but in several instances so thoroughly, 

 that even from the root all vitality seemed to have departed, no 

 young shoots appearing even after the lapse of a twelvemonth. 



Among the localities where such destruction has been most 

 signally experienced, may be mentioned Chillingham, Lilburn, 

 Bolton, Shawdon, and some of the lower plantations at Hedgley, 

 which descend to the level of the Breamish. Some magnificent 

 old variegated hollies {golden), at Shawdon, happily escaped, from 

 standing on a dry bank, probably, but not without betraying 

 signs of the crisis in a very poor foliage and tardy efforts to 

 recover. 



The Portugal laurel, Cerasus lusitanica, has followed the fate 

 of the holly, showing itself (as might be expected) a little less 

 hardy. At Chillingham, the finest clump of old Portugal laurels 

 that I remember to have seen anywhere, and having in it the 

 largest individual trees, was completely destroyed down to the 

 surface of the ground. Near them some good hollies have shared 

 their fate. At Eslington the loss of fine Portugal laurels was 

 extensive, and some equally large were killed at Bolton and 

 other places situated in valleys. In loftier sites this species, like 

 the holly, escaped unhurt. 



The evergreen oak, Quercus Ilex, has shown itself a little less 

 capable of enduring a severe Northumbrian winter than the last- 

 named evergreen. Several vigorous young trees were killed at 

 Chillingham, being about ten or fifteen feet high, and standing 

 where dew falls heavily and frost must have been very intense. 

 Others in the same district, but in more open and airy spots, 

 have escaped, though noc without perceptible injury. The beau- 

 tiful ilexes at Howick and Falloden were comparatively safe, as 

 enjoying that coast-climate so favourable to the species. 



The common box, Buxus sempei^virens, though so patient 

 of frost even in severe continental climates^ was killed in 



