1888-89.] Annual Increase in Girth of Trees. 



405 



affected. It is in the healthy and well-tested species, 

 Fayus sylvatica, that the results are most unmistakable. 

 Two of the species, indeed, escaped entirely, one of them 

 having even a slight increase ; but it is noteworthy that these 

 were quick growers, one being the quickest of the Botanic 

 Garden beeches, and the other the quickest of the three 

 "island" beeches at Craigiehall. The table at the foot 

 of page 404 gives the loss sustained by the other eight. 



But it was on the evergreens that this depression fell with 

 the most marked severity. The Deodars, indeed, and probably 

 the Araucarias, were only slightly affected, but three of the 

 Sequoias suffered quite as much as in 1883, the fourth, which 

 was above average, being an unhealthy -looking tree, erratic in 

 its growth, and therefore little reliable. The solitary Cedrus 

 africana and Cupressus Laiosoniana both touched their abso- 

 lute minimum. It was in Taxus haccata, however, that the 

 most remarkable effect was produced. This species had 

 escaped almost entirely in the years 1883, 1885, and 1886, 

 but now it reached by far the lowest point in the decennial 

 period — and no less than 45 per cent, below" the average of 

 the last six years, during which all the seven yews were 

 under observation. 



I give in detail the results for the species affected : — 



