142 Mr Sadler's Report on Open- Air Vcgdation. 



on walls, also many of the apple and pear buds were destroyed, 

 while standard apple and pear trees are much hurt. A snowfall of 

 about 7 inches on 2d December heljied much to save vegetables ; 

 still we lost about one half of Savoys and Brussels Sprouts. Of 

 several varieties of Erocoli gi'own, " Knight's variegated " was the 

 only one that stood Autumn-planted cabbages, German greens, 

 and leeks were very little the worse. 



From Mr David Murray, Culzean Gardens, Mayhole, Ayrshire. 



May 26, 1880. 



The frost we had during the last winter has done more damage to 

 plants and flowering shrubs than any winter for the last 20 years, 

 judging from the old-established Fuchsia plants that have been 

 killed to the ground, growing in the open borders. Hydrangeas, 

 Euonymus of sorts, Tamarix, Phormium tenax, Cornels, Myrtle, 

 and Lonicera aurea, have also been severely damaged. Laurustinus, 

 Sweet Bay, Veronicas, and some Camellias for a time looked bad, 

 but now they are getting fresh foliage, and appear to be quite safe. 

 Of course some of the above plants were quite unprepared to with- 

 stand such a severe winter, as they were green and in a growing 

 state when frost set in. The lowest reading of the thermometer was 

 on the 4th of December, when we had 22° of frost. 



Omitted from my Report for 1878-79. 



Fro7n Mr Malcolm Dunn, Dalkeith Palace Gardens, Mid-Lothian. 



February 13, 1879. 



The autumn of 1878 was comparatively dry and mild, and higlily 

 favourable to the thorough ripening of vegetation. The first morning 

 of ISTovember brought a sudden change to . sharp frost, which put a 

 stop to the growth for the season, and killed off the tender plants 

 in the flower borders, such as dahlias, asters, heliotropes, &c. For 

 fifteen weeks the frost continued almost uninterruptedly. 



During fifteen nights in JSTovember we registered frost, and from 

 the 25th of that month to the 6th February frost prevailed every 

 night except one. 



The want of heat and light du.ring the day was most remarkable, 

 the effect of which was very disadvantageous to the forcing of fruit 

 and flowers in hot-houses. Any growth made was of a pale sickly 

 colour, and for weeks on end scarcely any amount of "forcing" 

 would cause plants to open their flowers ; and vines, peaches, 



