DIVISION III. S. MIDLAND COUNTIES. 225 



times. Snow on eight days, heaviest (4 to 5 ins.) on 20th. March 

 1st, min. temp., 21°-2. Several severe frosts at end of month : min. 

 temp., 27th, 22° -7 ; below 32° thirteen times. 

 Min. Temp, and Date — Jan. 21st, 5°. 



Plants injured, 1880-81—4 (1), 4 (2), 5 (3)— Broccoli, 1. Cab- 

 bages, 2. Echeveria metallica, 1. Furze, 3. Gladiolus, 3. Laurel, 

 Bay, 2. Laurel, common, 3 ; L. Portugal, 3. Laurustinus, 2. 

 Onions, winter, 1, 2. Roses, Stands., 3. Tritoma uvaria, 1. 



Observations — In the winter of 1879-80, a Magnolia grandiflora 

 growing to the top of the house with a S.E. aspect, lost every leaf 

 and appeared to be nearly dead in the spring. I watered it libe- 

 rally with a solution of phosphate of ammonia and nitrate of soda. 

 The foliage returned and was exceedingly dark and luxuriant during 

 the summer. During the last winter it has retained every leaf. 

 I have no losses to report of trees or shrubs. The Ivy upon forest 

 trees has suffered very much, but none is killed — (J. B. Lawes, Ro- 

 thamstead). There is no doubt that the winter of 1880-81 had a 

 serious effect upon a large proportion of vegetation at Harpenden 

 and the immediate neighbourhood. The heavy fall of snow on the 

 19th of October was very disastrous to the trees, most of them 

 being still heavily laden with their green and scarcely discoloured 

 foliage, the Oaks being also laden with acorns. The extra weight 

 imposed upon them by the fall of snow caused large branches to 

 be severed from the trunks, making a complete havoc in places. 

 Many shrubs, and especially those having a north and north-easterly 

 aspect, have been greatly damaged, and in many cases quite killed 

 by the frosts ; the most marked of these being the Laurustinus and 

 the Portugal Laurel. The few specimens of Echeveria metallica and 

 Tritoma uvaria that grew in this neighbourhood have been killed, 

 while Aralia Sieboldii has survived out of doors with very little 

 protection indeed. Among other plants which have unexpectedly 

 survived may be mentioned Biota orientalis and Lilium lanci- 

 folium; which latter plant has borne the winter better out of 

 doors than when inside. The various species of Picea have also 

 stood the winter well. Laurus nobilis (the Sweet Bay), Standard 

 Roses, the common Laurel (Primus lauro-cerasus), and the Ulex 

 europaea (Furze), have all been more or less damaged by the frosts 

 of winter, but more especially by the frosts of the early spring of 

 1881. In a large majority of cases the corms of Gladiolus have 



1 f 



