xii 



INTRODUCTION. 



Scotland. — 1. S. E. Highlands — Do., 423 at 8 places, or nearly 

 53 at each place. 



2. W. Coast — Do., 325 at 6 places, or 54 at each place. 



3. Central Highlands — Do., 292 at 9 places, or 32-5 at each 

 place. 



4. E. Coast — Do., 429 at 9 places, or nearly 48 at each place. 

 Ireland. — 1. Entire Coast — Do., 198 at 33 places, or 6 at each 



place. 



2. Inland Counties — Do., 121 at 3 places, or about 40 at each 

 place. 



The preceding results show, as might have been anticipated from 

 the arrangement of the isotherms, that the proximity of the sea has 

 a moderating influence, while inland counties and higher regions of 

 the land exhibit a proportionally greater amount of injuries to vege- 

 tation. In these general results, the minor differences amongst the 

 injuries to plants in consequence of their growing in valleys or on 

 relatively higher ground are lost sight of. 



On the Effect of Soils. The general advantage of a light soil 

 with a gravelly subsoil, in comparison with a heavy retentive one 

 for certain kinds of trees and shrubs is very evident ; unless arti- 

 ficial drainage can overcome the natural defects of the latter. Sir 

 J. D. Hooker in an article upon the losses and injuries sustained 

 at Kew after the severe winter of 1860-61, remarks as follows : — 

 " Owing to the nature of the soil and climate, there are whole 

 groups of plants that do not at all succeed; as for instance the 

 majority of Spruce Firs, Larches, Ash, Elders, Clematis, many 

 Abies, Silver Firs (Webbiana, pectinata, &c.) very many kinds of 

 Hoses and such plants generally as thrive on clay or other retentive 

 soils or that require a cool or rocky subsoil .... Nevertheless, 

 when it is considered that we have bad or indifferent specimens of 

 all such plants as do not thrive it is evident [from the compara- 

 tive smallness of the list appended] that the locality is a most 

 favourable one for a botanical collection in the most essential 

 respect of climate, that could be well selected. Within a few hun- 

 dred yards, on the opposite, clayey side of the Thames, the destruc- 

 tion has been ten times greater than at Kew ; and whole groups of 

 plants, such as Araucarias, Deodars, Hollies, common Laurels, Eho- 

 dodendrons, &c, which have been materially injured or killed in 



