Mr Sadler's Report on Open-Air Vcgetntion. 259 



On the 15tli December there was a return of winter, which con- 

 tinued more or less till April, with unprecedented low temperatures 

 (and severe snowstorms on the 18th January and 5th March 1881). 

 Durhig January, at Blackadder, the thermometer was on seven 

 occasions below zero : on the lith, 6^; loth, \° ; 16th, 12^; 17th, 

 22°; 23rd, 24°; 25th, 3°; 26th, 16°. Wood pigeons were observed 

 to fall off the trees frozen to death, and many cases of frost-bite 

 occurred on the 17th January, On the 26th, wood pigeons allowed 

 themselves to be caught by hand, feeding at the sheep-boxes in the 

 fields, being unable to fly ; waterhens were also caught. "With the 

 leaves hardly off the trees, the wood still full of sap and unripened, 

 when the winter set in with such severity the great destruction to 

 trees and shrubs is not so very remarkable. 



On the hiU here the Hollies are untouched ; 100 feet lower there 

 is not one in existence. At Whitehall and XinewelLs ancient Hollies 

 and Yews are all dead, and at Blackadder there is not one alive on 

 the estate. The yellow flowering Eibes and also the Aucuha 

 japonica are killed on the hill, 413 feet above the sea. 



While all the Broccoli and Cabbage tribe are killed in low situa- 

 tions, on our well-drained soil they are an excellent crop. 



List of trees and shrubs killed at Blackadder, about 200 feet 

 above sea level ; soil a cold clay ; 11 miles from the sea, within 100 

 yards of river — 



Ahies Menziesi, Araucaria imhricata, Cedrus atlaidica, Deodara, 

 and Libani, Cnjptorneria japonica, Juniperus virginiana, Picea 

 lasiocarpa and pinsap)o, Pinus excelsa, Wellingtonia gigantea, Taxus 

 haccata and fastigiata, Ampelopsis, Aucuba japonica, Buxns, Berberis 

 Danclni, Clematis in variety, Gratcegus Pyracantha, Cytisus, La- 

 hurnum in variety, Garrya elliptica, Hedt^ra, Ilex in variety, Jas- 

 minum, Laurus nobilis, Liguafrum in variety, Mahonia japonica, 

 Eibes, Skimmia japonica. Rhododendrons, Eoses, Portugal Laurel, 

 Bay Laurel, Apples, Peaches, Plums, Cherries and Nectarines, 



The following more or less injured : — 



Abies Douglasi, Biota aurea, Cryptomeria elegans, Cupressus 

 Laicsoniana and erecta viridis, Picea nohilis and Nordmanniana 

 (blasted), Retinosp>ora in variety, TJiujopsis dolabrafa. Tlinja Lobbi, 

 Aristolochia Sij^ho, Hawthorn, Lonicera, Oak, EngUsh, Turkey, and 

 Evergreen (much damaged, and in many places killed), Sfirra, 

 Vinca, Weigela rosea, Azalea ponfica (the four latter much damaged 

 or kiUed. 



198 fruit trees were dug up from the garden dead or useless, and 

 78 at Allanbank, on the other side of the river ; while at Kelloe, a 

 mile higher up the Blackadder, all the Evergreens and many of the 

 fruit trees have been killed. Man}' years must elapse before trees 



