154 Effects of the Winter of 1878-9, by James Hard3^ 



not be so destructive as that of 1860-61, when most of the Laurels (both 

 Portugal and Bay) in this district were either killed to the ground or so 

 seriously damaged that they had to be cut over. The little damage they 

 have sustained is chiefly confined to gross young shoots— the result of severe 

 pruning - or to half-smothered plants, from which sufficient light and air are 

 excluded. The previous summer and autumn have much to do with the 

 maimer in which such plants stand the succeeding winter. If the young 

 growth is weU ripened, they can resist a much greater degree of frost than 

 when they make a late ill-ripened growth. If last winter had followed the 

 summer and autumn of 1877, there would have been a different tale to tell. 

 I may mention the effects on a few well-known plants. Araucarias are for 

 the most part unhurt, but some are very brown. The leaves of many hoUies, 

 especially the variegated varieties, are seriously damaged. Rhododendrons 

 {B. ponticKm) and Aucubas are unscathed. [I have since seen some plants of 

 Aucuba which were transplanted late in the spring that are much cut up.] 

 Lauristinus is much cut up, the flowers aU destroyed. Oarrya elliptica, 

 which usually stands the winter well, is very much damaged. I may say the 

 same of Cotoneaster microphylla. Penstemons, Antirrhinums, "Wall-flowers, 

 &c., many killed. Spring flowers are late. I have seen only one Daisy. 

 Snowdrops, Winter Aconites, Christmas Roses, Hepaticas, and Bulboeodimn 

 vernum, are now in flower ; but Crocuses are not yet out. 



Ormiston Souse. By W. B. Boyd, Esq. 



I have to report the following amoimt of damage done to trees and plants 

 by frost during the last winter at Ormiston House, Kelso. Lowest reading 

 of thermometer, 5 degrees below zero. A large proportion of the Oak trees, 

 near the river Teviot, have the last year's wood killed off. Spanish Chest- 

 nuts and old Apple trees much the same. 



Plants killed to the ground:— Portugal Laurel, Common Bay Laurel, 

 many of the tenderer kinds of Ivy, Ceanothus dentatus, Escallonia macrantha, 

 JEscallonia rubra, Escallonia Montividiensis, Fernettya mucronata, Cercis Sili- 

 quastrum. Nearly all the Roses killed to the ground. Most of the points of 

 Araucaria imbricata killed back three inches. Abies Bouglasi very brown, 

 Cryptomeria elegans very brown. Thuja aurea very brown, Juniperus 

 recurvus vqty ditto. All the blossom at least a month later than usual. 



\st July, 1879. 



On the Lateness of the Spawning of Salmon during the Spring of 

 1879, Salmon Disease, Sfc. By Fbancis Eussell, Esq., Sheriff- 

 Substitute of Eoxburgbshire. 



In compliance with your suggestion, that I should send to you some notes 

 as to the unusual lateness of the spawning of Salmon in our rivers during the 

 last season, I can give you what information I have on this curious and in- 

 teresting point. I have not had many opportunities of personal observation 

 bearing on this subject ; but I caught in the second week of April, in the 

 Teviot at Sunlaws, a Bull trout of about 6| lbs., which looked in good con- 



