DIVISION XV. — (SCOT.) W. MIDLAND COUNTIES. 151 



tively safe. The continued low temperature, rain and clouded skies 

 during the summer months left every kind of plant ill prepared to 

 stand the very low temperatures of December. Apples, Pears and 

 Plums have all been very poor. Peach trees were still in leaf on 

 the walls and a few buds set. Small fruits yielded good crops. 

 I have observed that the geographical distribution of plants is cor- 

 related with meteorological phenomena ; for the foliage of evergreen 

 shrubs is finer on the west coast here, than I have seen it 

 anywhere else. Several plants that would not live around Edin- 

 burgh, are quite at home here ; such as Hydrangea japonica, Mitraria 

 coccinea, and Myrtles ; so that we find the winter comparatively 

 mild; but Wheat tells of our want of sunshine, being 3 lb. per 

 bushel heavier nearer Edinburgh than with us. 



1. Stirling — Drymen, Buchanan Castle. — Mr. A. Crosbie. 



Q-en. Char, of Soil — A stiff heavy loam. 



Alt. and Exposure — 100 ft. ; sloping to S. 



Rainfall, 1879 — [Killearn, dist., 5 ms. ; alt., 200 ft. ; 43-54 

 ins., on 197 days]. 



Date of Onset and Duration of Frost — Nov. 28th to Jan. 1st. 



Min. Temp, and Date — Dec. 3rd, 8° (therm, on N. wall). 



Plants injured, 1879-80 — 6 (3) — Broccoli, 3. Garrya elliptica, 

 3. Caurel, Bay, 3. Pampas grass, under dry fern, 3. Tritoma 

 uvaria, under leaf-mould, 3. Yew, variegated, 3. 



Plants uninjured— Abies Douglasii, Cedrus atlantica, C. Deodara, 

 Cupressus Lawsoniana, Portugal Laurel, Picea cephalonica, P. nobilis, 

 P. Nordmanniana, Pinus monticola, Retinospora aurea, R. plumosa, 

 Rhododendrons (buds only kd. on early sorts), Sequoia gigantea, 

 Thuja gigantea. 



Observations — Fruit trees, Apples showed more canker than 

 usual, and bore thin crops ; King of Pippins and Lord Suffield had 

 the best and healthiest crops. Pears, Beurre d'isle, on walls, and 

 Duchesse d'Anjou have good crops of fine fruit. This is unex- 

 pected as hardier sorts have failed to bear fruit on S. walls. Plums 

 on S.E. and W. walls are bearing medium crops. Standard Dam- 

 sons have a heavy crop. Vegetables have suffered most. The long 

 continued frosts with sudden thaws and frosts following them, have 

 been more destructive than the lowness of temp. Less damage has 

 been done with a temp, of zero. 



