On the Effects of the Winter of 1879-80. 349 



Apple and Pear trees. Out of a collection of 400 dwarf Roses, I did not loss 

 one. Of Standards, I nearly lost all. 



The only Forest tree that was spoiled by frost, was the Elm, which was split. 



The Estates of WeUs and Cavers suffered rather more by the severe frost 

 of 1879-80, than has been experienced at Minto. 

 Oct., 1880. 



SELKIEKSHIEE. 



On the Effects of the Winter, 1879-80, on Gardens, Shrulleries, Sj-e., 



in Selkirkshire. By the Eev. James Faeqtjhaeson, M.A., 



Selkirk. 



The winter of 1879-80 differed in several respects from that of 1878-79, 



The cold, whUe it lasted, was much more intense ; but it passed away quickly. 



While the six months' winter of 1878-79 was characterised by a uniformly 



low temperature, scarce relieved by any milder interval, that of 1879-80 was 



notable for a sudden dip into intense cold at the beginning of the season. The 



thermometer in many places fell below zero in the beginning of December ; 



but after that " cold snap " the winter months were comparatively mild. The 



difference between the two seasons wiU be seen by a glance at the average 



thermometrical readings for the various months, which have been obligingly 



furnished to me by Mr Mathison, from the Meteorological Society's Station 



at Bowhill. 



1878-79. 



Max. 



Min. 



1879-80 



Max. 



Min. 



October 



53-19 



43-26 



October. 



53-22 



35-70 



November 



41-10 



32-60 



November 



45-50 



33-27 



December 



34-09 



25-32 



December 



39-40 



26-25 



January 



34-25 



23-58 



January 



37-27 



28-16 



February 



36-96 



28-57 



February 



45-22 



35-00 



March 



42-30 



31-23 



March 



49-90 



30-29 



AprU 



47-10 



33-80 



April 



52-00 



35-14 



In 1879-80 the lowest readings were — in November, 2nd, 23°, 14th, 21° 

 15th, 22° ; in Dec, 2nd, 19°, 3rd, 8°, 4th, 3° ; in Jan., 14th and 19th, 19°, 

 20th, 15° ; in Feb., 9th, 27° ; in March, 19th, 22° ; and in April, 30th, 25°. 



It will be observed that the thermometer reached its minimum at Bowhill 

 on Dec. 4th, 1879, when it stood at 3°. BowhiU, however, stands at some 

 height above the river, and is much sheltered by wood ; and at several more 

 exposed places down the valley of the Ettrick, and on a level with the river, 

 the readings on the same day were considerably below zero. But keen as the 

 frost was, it was not so intense in this upland district as that reported from 

 the lower reaches of the Tweed ; and its influence on vegetation, although 

 sufficiently destructive, was not so disastrous as in many low -lying districts 

 along the Borders, It is evident also from the reports about to be referred to 

 that the injurious effects of the cold diminished as the elevation increased, and 

 were less marked at Ettrick Manse near the head of the vaUey than in this 

 Parish at its lower end. 



In estimating the influence of the winter in question on vegetation, it must 

 also be borne in mind that the preceding summer (1879) had been exception- 



