t6 



INJURIES TO PLANTS, WINTER, 1879-80. 



turity. Very few seeds ripened. Cattle and sheep were more un- 

 healthy than they have been since 1860-1. Larch plantations — 

 Of five to twenty years of age, have been much injured by various 

 insects and other disease, induced no doubt by the long continuance 

 of cold and wet. Copsewood — Newly cut made little or no growth, 

 and in some cases the stools died. For game it was the worst 

 season I ever remember; and with the exception of a few Hima- 

 layan and Japanese plants, noxious weeds and slugs, no animal or 

 vegetable life has thriven. In considering the general results of the 

 period from November 1878 to the present time, I should remark 

 that though the degree of cold registered was by no means so great 

 in Gloucestershire as in many other parts of England ; yet a care- 

 ful investigation of the weekly meteorological reports published in 

 the Times, shows that the excess of rainfall above the average and 

 the deficiency of heat and sunshine below the average, were greater 

 in the West Midland counties, during the year 1879, than in any 

 other part of the kingdom. To this cause, and not to the length 

 and severity of the winters of 1878-9 and 1879-80, I attribute the 

 great losses in my garden which from one cause or other amount 

 to as much as 500 or 600 species of plants. 



2. Cirencester, Royal Agr. College. — Mr. H. Miller. 



Gen. Char, of Soil — Calcareous. 



A It. and Exposure — i34 ft. ; exposed. 



Rainfall, 187r — 38-39 ins. 



Date of Onset and Duration of Frost — Nov. 13th to 16th, 20th to 

 Dec. 27th, Jan. 8th, 1880, to Feb. 2nd. 



Min. Temps, and Dates—Dec. 2nd, 3rd and 7th, 14° ; Jan. 20th, 

 14°. 



Plants injured, 1879-80—9 (1), 2 (2), 1 (S)—Broccolis, all, 1 ; 

 viz. Elletson's Mammoth, Knight's Protecting, Purple Sprouting, 

 Snow's Winter White, Sutton's Late Green, Sutton's Protecting, Sut- 

 ton's Eeading Giant, Wilcove White. Brussels sprouts, Roseberry's, 

 1. Buxus balearicus, 2. Cabbages, Savoys, all, 1 ; viz. Drumhead, 

 Green curled, Nonpareil, Wheeler's Imperial. Cupressus Lawsoniana, 

 1. Euonymus radicans, 1. Kale, Cottagers, 1; K., Scotch, 1. Laurel, 

 Bay, 2. Lettuce, black-seeded Bath Cos, 1. Pampas grass, 1. Picea 

 Nordmanniana, 3. Roses, all, 1 ; viz. (1) Dwfs. (all grafted on 

 Manetti), Annie Laxton, Dr. Hooker, Elie Morel, Jean Lambert, 

 Madame Loine Giesson — (2) Stands., (on common Briars), Car* 



