Chap. XXIV. ACCLIMATISATION". 299 



of the orange as extremely sensitive to cold, and as much tenderer 

 than certain other varieties. 



The peach was known to Theophrastus, 322 B.C. 64 According to 

 the authorities quoted by Dr. F. Eolle, 65 it was tender when first 

 introduced into Greece, and even in the island of Ehodes only 

 occasionally bore fruit. If this be correct, the peach, in spreading 

 during the last two thousand years over the middle parts of Europe, 

 must have become much hardier. At the present day different 

 varieties differ much in hardiness : some French varieties will not 

 succeed in England ; and near Paris, the Pavie cle Bonneuil does not 

 ripen its fruit till very late in the season, even when grown on a 

 wall ; " it is, therefore, only fit for a very hot southern climate." 66 



I will briefly give a few other cases. A variety of Magnolia 

 grandifiora, raised by M. Eoy, withstands a temperature several 

 degrees lower than that which any other variety can resist. With 

 camellias there is much difference in hardiness. One particular 

 variety of the Noisette rose withstood the severe frost of 1860 " un- 

 " touched and hale amidst a universal destruction of other Noisettes." 

 In New York the " Irish yew is quite hardy, but the common yew 

 " is liable to be cut down." I may add that there are varieties of 

 the sweet potato (Convolvulus batutas) which are suited for warmer, 

 as well as for colder, climates. 67 



The plants as yet mentioned have been found capable of 

 resisting an unusual degree of cold or heat, when fully grown. 

 The following cases refer to plants whilst young. In a large 

 bed of young Araucarias of the same age, growing close to- 

 gether and equally exposed, it was observed, 68 after the 

 unusually severe winter of 1860-61, that, "in the midst of 

 " the dying, numerous individuals remained on which the 

 " frost had absolutely made no kind of impression." Dr. 

 Lindley, after alluding to this and other similar cases, 

 remarks, " Among the lessons which the late formidable 

 " winter has taught us, is that, even in their power of 

 " resisting cold, individuals of the same species of plants are 

 " remarkably different." Near Salisbury, there was a sharp 

 frost on the night of May 24th, 1836, and all the French 



04 Alph. de Candolle, ' Geograph. For camellias and roses, see ' Gard. 



Bot.,' p. 382. Chron.,' 18^0, p. 384. For the yew, 



65 'Ch. Darwin's Lehre von der 'Journal of Hurt.,' March 3rd, I860, 

 Entstehung,' &c, 1862, s. 87. p 174. For sweet potatoes, sec Col. 



66 Decaisne, quoted in ' Gard. Chro- von Siebold, in ' Gard. Chron.,' 1855, 

 nicle,' 1865, p. 271. p. 822. 



67 For the magnolia, see Loudon's 68 The Editor, ' Gard. Chron.,' 1861, 

 ; Gard. Mag.,' vol. xiii., 1837, • 21. p. 239. 



