i;^)0 Mr Sudlcr's Report on O'pcAi-Air VegefMtion. 



IV. ICXTRACT.S FliUM CoRtlESPOXDENTS AS TO THE EfKECTS OF THE 



Winter op 1879-80 in different parts of Scotland. 



I. — IN the north of SCOTLAND. 



From Mr David Melville, Dunrohin Gardens, 8)i tkcrl and shire. 



June 26, 1880. 



The winter of 1879-80 has heen a most favourahle one in thi.s 

 district. We had a fine spell of frost and snow the first three 

 weeks of Deceml)er, quite sufficient to afford a supply of ice for 

 storing, and to send vegetation to rest for the winter. After 

 Chriwtmas we had an occasional night's frost and a few snow 

 showers, sufficient to keep vegetation in check, without interfering 

 with out-door operations. The most severe night's frost experienced 

 during tlie winter occurred on the 2nd of December, when we had 

 13° of frost. During the same month we had 20 frosty nights, 

 with 82° of frost altogether. In January there were 13 frosty 

 nights, with a total of 26° of frost. In February 6 frosty nights, 

 with 10° of frost. In March 7 nights' frost, with 8° degrees of 

 frost for the month. 



From April 1st to May 15th the minimum thermometer only 

 went down to 32° on three occasions. Our record of loss last 

 winter has been almost nil. Two lai'ge old plants of Pampas Grass 

 were rather disfigured, and some of our Roses succumbed in spring, 

 the latter was partially due to the drying east winds prevalent here 

 in March and April. Among plants which stood the winter 

 uninjured may be noted — Aralia Sieholdii, Fuchsia Riccartonii, 

 Phormium teiiax, Garrya elli2)tica, Salisburia adianti folia, Arundo 

 conspicua, Escallonia macrantha, Tritoma Uvaria, Veronica Ander- 

 sonii, Launis Nohilis, Viburnum Tinus, Acer negundo variegata, &c. 



Kitchen garden stuff stood the winter Avell — Celery, particularly, 

 never kept better. 



We are usually free from spring frosts here after the middle of May. 

 We commence bedding out invariably from the 1 4th to the 1 7th with 

 Calceolarias, Geraniums, &c., and the hardier jjortion of the bedding 

 plants, following with the tender sorts such as Heliotropes, Dahlias, 

 Tropasolums, &c., from the 22nd to the 31st. Our proximity to 

 the sea, of course, accounts for our comparative immunity from spring 

 frosts, and also from extreme frosts during the winter. 



From Mr J. Forrest, Haddo House Gardens, Aberdeenshire. 



May, 1880. 

 The severe frost of last December, succeeding such a cold, wet, 

 sunless season, did a great amount of damage to vegetation in this 



