312 



On the Effects of the Winter of 1879-80. 



requiring explanation, viz., that those Hollies that have suffered most, in 

 fact, some of them killed outright, were those that were heavily laden with 

 berries, these remaining hanging on the dead branches till well on in summer. 

 Had the effort in bearing such a crop of fruit, it may be asked, enfeebled the 

 constitution of the tree for the time being, and hence made it more suscept- 

 ible to injury from the extreme cold ? Aucuba Japonica where not covered 

 with snow, was much hurt. The Oaks which suffered so much farther up the 

 Tweed, and more especially on the Teviot, were not hurt here. The foliage 

 was healthy and early. Enquiries have been made by correspondents in the 

 public prints as to the absence of Hawthorn blossoms this season. In the 

 grounds here the " May" in ordinary seasons is unusually fine, and in great 

 quantity ; but this season there has been almost none. There can be no doubt 

 such is owing to the ungenial summer last year. The same bears on the 

 failure of the large-fruit crop. There were certainly blossoms of a kind, but 

 of that weak, unhealthy sort, that did not properly set ; — in fact, if we have 

 not sun we cannot expect either flower or fruit. 



Minimum Temperature at The Hirsel Gardens, Coldstrea 



1879.— Dec. 1— Thermometer at 25«. 



„ 2— 



„ 3 





, 3— 



„ 3 





, 4- 



„ ,, 0-6 below zero. 





, 5- 



„ 0- 





, 6— 



M 7 





, 7- 



>, » 8 





, 8- 



n 10 





, 9- 



„ 10 





, 10- 



„ 24 





, 11— 



M 9 





, 12- 



» 19 





, 13— 



„ 19 





, 14— 



„ 34 





, 15- 



„ 38 





, 16— 



„ 27 



August 21, 1880. 







Mertoun House Gardens. By Mr "William Fowler. 



Mektoun House being so near the river Tweed, and consequently more 

 liable to hoar frost than some places of greater elevation, although only a few 

 miles distant, but more open and with a freer circulation of air, has under- 

 gone an immense devastation, while in comparison they have suffered com- 

 paratively little. In the winter of 1860 and 1861, 1 think. Bay and Portugal 

 Laurels suffered severely, but never duiiag my experience of 35 years have I 

 witnessed such havoc on trees and shrubs in general, as in the past two 

 winters. The last one, 1879-80, partly from the effects of the previous severe 

 one of 1878-79, was much more disastrous in its effects. Much of this is, no 



