222 THE NATUEAL HISTORY 



LETTER LXI. 



TO THE SAME. 



SINCE the weather of a district is undoubtedly part of it's natural 

 history, I shall make no further apology for the four following 

 letters, which will contain many particulars concerning some of 

 the great frosts and a few respecting some very hot summers, 

 that have distinguished themselves from the rest during the 

 course of my observations. 



As the frost in January 1768 was, for the small time it lasted, 

 the most severe that we had then known for many years, and 

 was remarkably injurious to ever-greens, some account of it's 

 rigour, and reason of it's ravages, may be useful, and not unac- 

 ceptable to persons that delight in planting and ornamenting ; 

 and may particularly become a work that professes never to lose 

 sight of utility. 



For the last two or three days of the former year there were 

 considerable falls of snow, which lay deep and uniform on the 

 ground without any drifting, wrapping up the more humble 

 vegetation in perfect security. From the first day to the fifth 

 of the new year more snow succeeded ; but from that day the 

 air became entirely clear ; and the heat of the sun about noon 

 had a considerable influence in sheltered situations. 



It was in such an aspect that the snow on the author's ever- 

 greens was melted every day, and frozen intensely every night ; 

 so that the laurustines, bays, laurels, and arbutuses looked, in 

 three or four days, as if they had been burnt in the fire ; while a 

 neighbour's plantation of the same kind, in a high cold situation, 

 where the snow was never melted at all, remained uninjured. 



From hence I would infer that it is the repeated melting and 

 freezing of the snow that is so fatal to vegetation, rather than 

 the severity of the cold. Therefore it highly behoves every 

 planter, who wishes to escape the cruel mortification of losing 



doubtless was intended to show at a glance the height of the mercury at his 

 nephew's parsonage at Newton Valence, where a similar instrument still exists, 

 attached to the bookcase in the study, with a graduated ivory plate by its side, 

 and the tube of the same size. The Newton tradition assigns the construction 

 and fixing of this instrument to Gilbert White ; and there can be no doubt of its 

 correctness. Thus both the barometers mentioned in the letter are still in existence, 

 and in working order. My friend and neighbour, the Rev. A. N. C. Maclachlan, 

 the present incumbent, preserves the Newton one with a sacred care. Bell.] 



