Winter of 1837-8 at the Oxford Botanic Garden. 57 



displaying its veinings to advantage, by varnishing and polishing ; 

 or by carving the wood in imitation of a cane or bamboo, cable 

 rope, twining snake, &c. 



For garden purposes, the sides may be made of deal, or clean 

 root-cut ash, and the rounds of oak ; and for ordinary libraries, 

 the sides may be made of oak or mahogany, and the rounds of 

 the former wood, or of laburnum or yew. 



In every description of plant-houses, vineries, verandas, con- 

 servatories, aviaries, &c, a folding ladder of this kind is a most 

 convenient article ; because, when shut up, it may be carried 

 through a house much easier than a common ladder. For work- 

 ing among climbing plants under glass, it is found to be par- 

 ticularly useful, as it may be introduced in places where there is 

 not room for a common ladder. For pruning standard trees out 

 of doors, it is particularly convenient ; because it can be thrust 

 through the branches like a round pole, so as not to injure them ; 

 and when once it has been got to the desired place or position, 

 it can be opened, when the styles will press the branches aside, 

 without injuring them. 



There is a ladder of this description in the library of Stoke 

 Edith Park, the seat of T. Foley, Esq. M.P. ; and one in the 

 villa garden of Cook, Esq., near Hereford, who may be con- 

 sidered as having introduced these ladders, as he procured the 

 one in his possession (from which the model now sent was made) 

 from a foreign gentleman. 



Art. III. An Account of the Trees and Shrubs which were killed or 

 otherwise injured, with a few of those which were uninjured, by the 

 Severity of the Winter of 1837-8, in the Botanic Garden, fyc, 

 Oxford. By W. H. Baxter. 



I was glad to see on the wrapper of the April Number of the 

 Gardener's Magazine, a request that correspondents in different 

 parts of the country would contribute lists of trees, &c, which 

 suffered from the severity of the winter of 1837-8. Few have 

 as yet been published, but possibly others have been prevented 

 from sending them by the same reason as myself; viz., they have 

 waited to add the length of theyoung shoots of such as have pushed 

 out, in order, in some measure, to show the condition they are 

 left in to encounter the forthcoming winter; and also to be able 

 to register with certainty those which were entirely killed. This 

 could not have been done with accuracy much earlier in the 

 season ; as, in some instances, plants, which were throughout the 

 summer considered dead, are now only just shooting out. 



The lowest degree of cold noticed here last winter was on the 



