Effects of Winter 1881-82. 387 



burst out into splendid flower, and continued so for months. It is 

 seldom the early Rhododendrons are seen in such perfection of 

 flower in Scotland, but the grand display they make in a genial 

 season like the past is more than worth the trouble of waiting a 

 few years to see it. Hardy spring flowers of every kind were early 

 and fine, as well as being unusually abundant. Snowdrops, Crocus, 

 Xarcissus, and other bulbous - rooted plants flowered profusely. 

 ]\[any plants of doubtful hardiness came through the winter in the 

 open air unscathed — such as Camellias, Oranges, Eucalt/j^tus glob- 

 ulus, CUanthus puniceiis, &c. Small fruit of all kinds was very 

 abundant during the summer ; but Apples, Pears, Plums, and 

 Cherries, although the}'' flowered moderately well, produced crops 

 much below the average. In most instances the flowers were 

 weakly, and " set " badly ; and insects and cold caused much of the 

 fruit which did set to drop off prematurely. Vegetables have 

 proved by far the most satisfactory crops of the season. 



From Mr John Garrett, WhittingJiame Gardens, Haddingtonshire. 



Sept. 4, 1882. 

 "We do not as a rule suffer much here from frost. Last winter 

 the lowest readings of our thermometer were on the 10th and 23rd 

 December. A good many of our shrubs nevertheless show an in- 

 jured condition, these being chiefly common Bay Laurels, Laurus- 

 tinus, Sweet' Bays, Garrya elliptrca, and Aucuba japonica. Eed 

 Cedar, Cupressiis macrocarpa, Picea CepliaJonica, P. nobilis, P. 

 Nordinaiiniana, and Eucalyptus viminalis show more or less injury. 

 Some Hollies and a good many Thorns have died, but this I attri- 

 bute to the injured condition in which they were left by the pre- 

 vious winter. Indeed, in our case it would not be too much to say 

 that the Avhole damage has been caused by the winter of 1880-81. 

 Our crop of hardy fruits is almost nil this season. Gooseberries 

 and Strawberries were both an abundant crop, and Easpberries 

 moderate. 



From ]Mr Axdrew Toenbull, The Gardens, Bothwell Castle, 

 Lanarkshire. 



Aug. 5, 1882. 



The winter of 1881-82 was perhaps the mildest we have had 

 since that of 1845-46, during which the thermometer never fell 

 lower than 25°, with the exception of the 19th and 20th of March, 

 when it fell to 20° and 19° respectively. As a consequence of this, 

 the whole of the fruit crop in the locality was destroyed ; even 

 Gooseberries did not escape. The following are the lowest readings 

 of the thermometer during last winter : — October 16th, 23"; 30th, 

 20°; December 11th, 16°; 22nd, 20' ; January 29th, 23°; Feb- 



