568 Effects of the Winter, 1880-81. By Mr John Page. 



In the first place, I may mention, that I am sorry not to be able to give an 

 account of amount of rain here for the year 1880, owing to the rain gauge go- 

 ingoutof order, but I havesentthenumberof dull and wet days foreachmonth. 

 The year 1880 was remarkable for the small quantity of fruit of ali kinds, and 

 the terrible plague of wasps to eat what little there was ; there was taken in 

 the gardens and close round them some 120 nests, all ground ones, there being 

 very few hanging nests noticeable about here. The Oaks were long in starting 

 into growth having to start back in the old wood, but after starting they made 

 rapid growth, and some of the leaves were of an extraordinary size. I was 

 very much afraid that they would all be killed owing to their being so long 

 in startiuij to grow, and fr. m the frost setting in so intense in the month of 

 October wc registering on the 19th, \6° frost; and on the 22nd, 15° frost; 

 then on Nov. 2nd, 16° of frost; 3rd 14°; 7th, 17° ; 21st, 29" ; 22nd 27° frost; 

 a condition so rigorous that it completely froze the potatoes in the drills and 

 prevented farmers from getting them lifted and stored. However, after 

 standing one of the longest and severest winters on record, they hardly cast 

 a young shoot in the spring, and now that they have had all the dead wood 

 taken out of them, they look wonderfully fresh and healthy. I have little 

 more to say as regards other trees and shrubs, but that Figs and Magnolias 

 were killed farther back this winter than the winter before, although equally 

 as well co^ i;red with straw and mats . and that what the other winter began 

 in destroying Yews, Hollies, etc , this winter has finished, and we noticed here 

 that the Hollies that were heaviest laden with fruit in 1879, were the first to 

 be killed. Nearly all vegetables did well in the gardens here last 

 year, but the frost ia Oct. and Nov. killed all summer vegetables, such as 

 Cauliflowers, French Beans. Scarlet Runners, etc., which in some mild open 

 autumns we have had very late. All winter vegetables, such as Celery, 

 Brussel Sprouts, Brocoli, Winter Onions, and autumn sown Cabbages, stood 

 the winter very well, unt 1 the middle and end of March, when we had some 

 terrific weather. The wind which blew E.N.E., roasted them like afire, 

 fairly shrivolling them up, and turning them quite black. Eoses that had 

 stood the winter very fresh were all cut down to the groimd line at that time. 

 Son e Yew hedges were scorched and browned as with a fire. "We had a fair 

 sprinkling of snow during the winter, but we missed the heavy fall that was 

 in nearly all parts of f^cotland, blocking trains up in all directions. "We were 

 nearly clear of snow in March when we had the cold winds, so that all the 

 Brassica tribe 1 ell an easier prey to the blasts, and what few cabbages were 

 saved and planted were so weakened that there was scarcely a good early 

 cabbage cut in this district. Strawberry plants suffered dreadfully so that 

 we had but a poor crop. Other small fruits were abundant and good, Cher- 

 ries were a very fine crop, Apples a good crop. Pears not so good, except 

 some trees on walls which have a good crop if we can get them ripe, but we 

 are suffering a good deal for want of sun. I may just mention that I con- 

 sider we had a harder winter in 1880-81, than we had in 1879-80, for although 

 we had the Thermometer lower in Dec, 1879, it rose quicker, for instance on 

 Dec. 4th, 1879, at 8 a.m., we had 45° frost ; at 2 p.m. we only had 12° frost ; 

 whereas in Jan. l7th, 1881, it reached 42° frost, but it stood 35° frost all 

 that day, and (the coldest day that ever I stood out in all my life) 36° frost 

 the following morning, when it rose suddenly at mid -day to only 2° frost. 



