132 Mr Sadler's Report on Opc/i-Air Vegetaiion. 



after the preceding wet and sunless summer. Fruit trees, &c., 

 promise well, however they may turn out. Our lowest tempera 

 tures were on .3d, 4th, and lltli December, when the thermometer 

 fell to 14°, 12°, and 16° respectively; and on January 13th, 14th, 

 and 20tli, when it fell to 13°, 14°, and 20°. The average tempera- 

 ture here in December was 27^°, and in January 30^. I may men- 

 tion that our thermometer is 3 feet from the ground and protected. 



From Mr John Robb, The Gardens, Drummond Castle, Perthshire. 



May 5, 1880. 

 The only plant which I see hurt, is the common Portugal Laurel, 

 a great many of which are much singed. I have a few standards in 

 the Garden here, and all have their last year's wood cut up, and, 

 strange to say, the Aacuha japonica, which forms a carpet under 

 them, is quite safe. Our vegetables, such as Brussels Sprouts, 

 Savoys, Kale, and Leeks kept quite safe. 1878-79 hurt us much. 

 We have great quantities of Hardy Heaths and Hardy Perpetual 

 Eoses (Standards and Dwarfs). Of the Heaths 150 very large 

 plants were killed, and as many Standard Roses : Gloire de Dijon 

 only escaping unhurt. Large plants of Juniperus Hihernica were 

 also killed. Ceanothus of sorts were killed to the ground, but 

 have now started away. There are plants 12 feet high on a south 

 wall. 



From Mr Wm. S. Bisset, Moncreiffe Gardens, Perthshire. 



June 25, 1880. 

 In regard to your inquiry as to the effects of the past winter on 

 vegetation, I have to mention that during the month of December 

 the frost was very severe, the thermometer being, on two nights, a 

 few degrees lower than in the previous winter, and registering 30° 

 of frost. The result has proved more destructive to severa^ plants 

 than the frosts of 1878-79, caused principally, I presume, from the 

 unripened state of the wood. Tea and Noisette Roses are much 

 injured, and in some instances killed. Viburnum Tinus and 

 Sweet Bays are much broAvned, and in some parts of the grounds 

 Hollies have been much destroyed. From the effects of the frost, 

 and the tremendous crop of berries, many of the plants are not 

 expected to recover. Ui^ to three weeks' ago the plants were 

 loaded with berries, but since that time the wood pigeons have been 

 feeding on them, the result of which has tended to keep them from 

 destroying Cauliflower, Peas, &c., in the Garden. The Brassica 

 tribe have not suffered so much as during the previous winter. 

 Brocoli were about half killed out, but Brussels Sprouts and 



