On the Effects of the Winter of 1879-80. 839 



Fieea nobilis, Retinospora squarrosa, plumosa, plumosa aurea ; Thtija Lobbii 12, 

 Viburnum Opulus. Rhododendrons— 2 or 3 hybrids dead, but about 20 unin- 

 jured. Clematis— /ac^-m«w«i, Star of India, Alexandra, Mrs Bateman, and 

 6 others, on walls or trellis, though all cut to the ground, flowered well. 



In the winter of 1878-9, Brussels Sprouts, curly greens, celery, much 

 injured ; brocoli killed ; cabbage, lettuce, and prickly spinage uninjured here. 

 Last winter, vegetables were not much injured, only a few brocoli which had 

 not been ** laid down," were destroyed. 



At the Chesters (Mr Clayton's), about a mile from Humshaugh, 240 feet 

 above the river, 14° below zero was registered. All the Hollies except two 

 email ones, many very large and other Yews, aU the Box-trees and Privet are 

 dead. Many Elm, Beech, and Oak trees are split. Several large and small 

 Yews, however, are uninjured. 



At Lincoln Hill, about one mile west of Humshaugh, 400 feet above the 

 sea, Hollies and Yews much injured and many of them dead. Laurels all cut 

 down. 



At "Walwick Hall, about half a mile west of Lincoln Hill, 495 above sea 

 level, 315 above the river, there are many fine Hollies but none injured in the 

 least, merely the tips of a very few leaves on some of them being •' scorched." 



As distance above a river seems to have generally so much to do with the 

 effect of frost, I may mention that Humshaugh House is about half a mile 

 from the North Tyne, " as the crow flies," Chesters a quarter, Lincoln Hill 

 three-quarters, and about 220 feet above it, Walwick Hall three-quarters. 



In the North Tyne valley, so far as I can learn, only one Thrush was heard 

 in 1879. Blackbirds, usually very numerous, have been so few in number 

 that it has not been worth while to net the fruit. Last spring there seems to 

 have been an immigration of Thrushes, for there were six or seven pairs within 

 two miles of Humshaugh. Starlings seem to have been much thinned. In 

 some parts of the south of England Chaflinches were said to be nearly extinct, 

 but here I saw last spring at least one flock of about 300. Dabchicks reared 

 young for some years at Haughton Castle pond near this. A single bird 

 appeared in 1879, but I did not see one in 1880. 

 Jan. 1, 1881. 



BingfieUf Corlridge-on-Tyne. By John Coppin, Esq. 



At this place, about 450 feet above the sea, with a northern aspect, the 

 weather last December was extremely severe, the thermometer in a Stevenson 

 box, four feet from the ground, marking 10° on December 4th. Large Por- 

 tugal Laurels, Common Laurels, Cotoneaster mierophylla, against a wall ; 

 another standard Cotoneaster, Berberis Darwinii, Common Privet, Menziesia 

 polifolia, JRuscus aculeatus, Sypericum calycinum, Selianthemum rosncm, and 

 woodbine were killed to the ground. The common Yew, Box-tree, and several 

 sorts of Holly were severely damaged ; some varieties of the latter were cut 

 to the^ ground, whilst others, principally silver-leaved, lost nearly all their 

 foliage. Forest trees also suffered very much, especially the Oak, Ash, and 

 Lime ; indeed, some of the first two appeared to be killed outright, as they 

 produced no leaves throughout the following season. The Hawthorns (almost 



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