DIVISION ITT. S. MIDLAND COUNTIES. 



25 



Eeports. 



1. Beds. Sandy and Girtford. — Mr. T. Laxton. 



Gen. Char, of Soil — Sandy and light where the frost was most 

 severe ; but of a clayey loam overlying drift clay, in the greater por- 

 tion of the E. side of Beds. A good deal of which is within or 

 approximate to the valleys of the rivers Ouse and Ivel. 



Alt. and Exposure — About 80 ft., exposed principally to N. E., 

 N., and S. W. ; sheltered on parts of E. and S. E. by a range of 

 sandy hills. The garden is well sheltered by trees and is also 

 walled, but close to the river. 



Rainfall, 1879. — [See Meteorol. Obs., Cardington, dist., 5 ms.]. 



Bate of Onset and Duration of Frost — Nov. 20th, after a short 

 thaw on 24th, frost permanently set in on 26th, and lasted till 

 Dec. 27th. 



Min. Temp, and Bate— Dec. 6—7, -3° (Sandy) ; the S. W. wind 

 being accompanied by frozen mist. [Cardington, Dec. 7th, 2°]. 



Plants injured, 1879-80—4 (1), 16 (2), 4 (3)— Apples, only Old 

 Hawthornden, 2. Arbutus Unedo, 2. Aucuba japonica, var., 3. 

 Box, 3. Cedrus Deodara, 1, 2. Cherries, 2. Escallonia macrantha, 



1, 2. Hollies, 2 ; Do., silver var., 2. Laurel, Bay, 2. Laurel, 

 common, 2; Do., Portugal, 2. Laurustinus, 2. Magnolia grandi- 

 flora, 3. Pears, Beurre de l'Assumption and several others, 2. Plums, 



2. Quince, Portugal, 2. Roses, 1, 2, 3 (see below), Sequoia gigan- 

 tea, 1, 2. 



Observations — Local elevation, proximity to, the influence of the 

 river, and variations of shelter and exposure seem to have more to do 

 with the severity of the frost and its effects, than the general elevation 

 of the district. The frost of Dec. 1879 appears to have been more 

 severely felt at Sandy Rectory (where the temperature fell to -3°). 

 The same result was noticeable in 1860, and on one occasion subse- 

 quently. The frost, when the temp, was at its minimum, was accom- 

 panied by frozen mist which adhered to and covered the trees. 

 In 1860 a Silver Holly more exposed to the E. was on that 

 occasion cut down to the ground; the same tree in 1879 being only 

 slightly injured, whilst another tree of the same variety, less exposed 

 to the E. and more exposed to the S; W; on the former winter was 



