90 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



midal form, like the azalea, it makes a very handsome plant, and 

 is so hardy that it might almost be kept over winter in the cellar. 



The effect of the winter just past, on fruit and other trees, was 

 then brought up, and in answer to an inquiry whether any obser- 

 vations had been made on this point, Robert Manning stated that 

 he had examined some peach buds, which, near the base of the 

 shoots, appeared entirely uninjured. Those on the upper part of 

 the shoots exhibited a general discoloration, but none showed the 

 distinct black speck which is so well known as indicating the de- 

 struction of the embryo. Some persons held that whenever the 

 mercury fell to — 10° the peach buds were all destroyed, but though 

 his thermometer had marked — 12°, he thought a sufficient number 

 of the buds were uninjured to afford a good crop of fruit. 



Henr3^ F. French said that A. J. Downing stated many years 

 ago that peach buds would be destroyed whenever the temperature 

 fell to — 10° or — 1 2°, but he had often observed that they survived a 

 cold of — 20° to — 25°. In a dry soil the growth stops earlier and the 

 wood ripens earlier, and hence is less liable to injury. Mr. French 

 asked whether any one could account for the bursting of apple 

 trees. He thought it might be caused by the freezing of sap. It 

 is well known to wood choppers that trees do freeze to the heart 

 in severe cold. 



Mr. "Wilder said that fruit trees in his ground split open in con- 

 sequence of the severe cold the last of November, 1875. 



Mr. Hovey said that in the winter of 185G and 1857 the ther- 

 mometer fell to — 20°, and pear trees were injured both in the bud 

 and wood, w^hile most peach buds were uninjured. Much depends 

 on the condition of the tree, as well as the severity of the cold, 

 both preceding and succeeding zero weather. When peach 

 buds are killed, the cause may be found in some peculiarity 

 of the winter. Trees will often resist a single freezing when they 

 cannot survive two or three. Azaleas when frozen may be recov- 

 ered by careful treatment, thawing slowly and in the dark, but if 

 frozen a second time the plant will be severely injured or destroyed. 

 Sometimes the temperature falls to — 15° or — 20°, followed b\' 

 a mild rain, and a second or third change to zero destroys the 

 fruit buds. The sap appears to be liquefied by the heat, and tlie 

 succeeding cold acts mechanically and splits the trees. Mr. 

 Hovey instanced a row of lime trees on Boston Common, which in 



