320 On the Effects of the Winter of 1879-80. 



The lowest temperatures here, in winter 1873-80, were on December 4th, 

 when the glass 3 feet from the ground gave 0°35, the next night was 0°1. 

 The evening of December 3rd gave no appearance of an extra hard frost, 

 and the following morning, between six and seven o clock, when I had occa- 

 sion to grasp a piece of iron I was surprised to find it stick to my hand and 

 still more so when the thermometer was consulted, and a degree below zero 

 indicated. By da5dight 3^° below zero was reached when the cold became 

 less intense. 



With regard to the warmest day of the present season ; on Thursday, 

 August 11th the thermometer in the shade registered 80^, and is up to pre- 

 sent date the warmest day of the present year, or of several years back. In 

 gardens, the present year is remarkable for the small crops, and in some cases 

 no crops of fruit : even the commoner fruits, as strawberries, gooseberries, 

 &c., being below the average very much. There is, however, every prospect 

 of next year's crop being an abundant one, trees of all kinds making an 

 abundant and firm growth, only requiring a warm autumn to all but ensure 

 that the season of 1 88 1 will be as remarkable for the abundance of its fruit 

 crops as that of 1880 is for its scarcity. Such quick growing and short lived 

 subjects as flowers and vegetables are generally very fine this season. 



Tynninghame, August \lth, 1880. 



NOETHUMBEELAND. 

 BanTcMll, Berwich-upon-Tweed. By Mr John Scott. 



Owing to the wet and cold summer of 1879, the trees on the Bankill never 

 fairly leaved, and there was no new growth in them. They had all the sum- 

 mer the appearance of being in a weak state of health ; and when the hard 

 cold winter of 1879-80 set- in the frost nipped them, and death was the result. 

 I should say this result was not so much owing to the hardness of the frost, 

 as to the want of vitality in the plant from previous inclement and unsuitable 

 weather. 'J he trees came under my observation nearly every day of the year. 

 The authorities have now removed the dead trees and planted Planes in their 

 place. The dead trees were Lombardy Poplars. 



Dec. 31, 1881. 



Tweed Villa, JVbrham. By Miss Dickinson. 



Privet hedges killed to the ground. Aucubas and Portugal Laurels all 

 killed to the ground. 1 Fir killed, the others all more or less injured. 

 Hollies very much blighted. Lavenders killed. 1 Plum and 1 Apple tree 

 killed ; all the others much injured ; and only 1 or 2 of them have blossomed 

 this year. Poplars killed. The Laburnums never flowered, and very few of 

 the Lilacs. Almost every Rose killed to the ground ; also Jasmines, both 

 yellow and white. Gooseberry bushes much blighted. All Gladioli which 

 escaped the preceding winter were killed. The Laurels and Laurestines 

 were all killed down to the ground the winter before; and all the young 

 shoots of last summer were destroyed. 



The garden of the next house, l<osebank Villa, has suffered much the same, 

 except that there is a Yew nearly, if not quite, killed. 



