EVERGRSEN VEGETATION IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND. G3 



Sussex ; that is to say, a warm dry summer, with a winter not 

 too long or windy, however severe, for a time. 



The Araucaria imhricata, now becoming so familiar to our 

 eyes, is wonderfully patient of wind, and endures also the length 

 of our winters exceedingly well. Many specimens of this singular 

 exotic tree perished in this trying winter, but many others sur- 

 vived it, and have sustained no permanent harm. Among these 

 last, I believe, is happily the stately araucaria, at Belsay Castle, 

 where also are many lesser but still remarkable trees of the same 

 species. A fine plant of middle stature, at the Ilerdsel, the 

 seat of Lord Hume, in Tweedside, was destroyed, or at least lost 

 all its branches. It stands low and near to water, where hoar- 

 frost would be heavy. A similar specimen, on the Terrace at Lil- 

 burn Tower, has suiFered no less severely, perhaps from standing 

 on a gravelly platform, too open to the frosty sky on every side. 

 A promising specimen at Dunston Hill, perhaps a little taller 

 than these two last, and very robust, remains unhurt. It 

 occupies a favourable site, and stands upon a deep loamy soil. 

 Close to it, however, an old plant of Laurustinus, and a vigorous 

 young Arhutus Uneclo were killed to the ground. 



Cryptomeria Jajoonica has shown itself unexpectedly hardy, for 

 its growth is continued late into the autumn. On an elevated 

 and somewhat exposed site in the grounds of the Rectory at 

 Whickham, are some specimens which show, better than any 

 others I have seen, how robust a form the Cryptomeria will assume 

 in our windy climate. It remained unhurt, or nearly so. 



Memoranda like the present may not be without interest in 

 connection with British Climatology, as compared with that of 

 neighbouring countries, with the study of the distribution of 

 plants native and cultivated, and the aspect of our mixed ar- 

 boreous vegetation, in which evergreen species are not the least 

 frequent and conspicuous. 



Many other interesting evergreen trees and shrubs might be 

 noticed, as aifected by the recent severe winter, were the present 

 a horticultural paper. The above are sufiicent in relation to 

 Climatology, and perhaps some ought to have been omitted. 



VOL. III. PT. ir. I 



