70 



THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 



skilful management all difficulties can be overcome. What I contend for is, 

 that these same Vines would have produced ripe Grapes in January with 

 greater ease to themselves and all concerned than in March. 



In another paragraph of his article Mr. Tillery says, " No Grapes ripened 

 in J anuary and February, that I have tasted yet, could be compared in flavour 

 to well-kept Muscats, "West's St. Peter's, Black Tripoli, and Lady Downe's 

 Seedling." Now, if Mr. Tillery has no objection, and we are spared till the 

 time, I will send newly-ripened Black Hamburghs to any of the January or 

 February Meetings of the Fruit Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society, 

 and he can send his best Black Grapes, for Hamburghs and Muscats could 

 not well be compared in point of flavour, and let the Committee decide which 

 are the best Grapes in point of flavour. 



Dalkeith Park. William Thomson. 



HARDINESS OF CALIFORNIAN AND JAPANESE TREES. 



Adverting to an article in the December Number of the Florist 

 " T. S." says, " Be cautious in cutting down trees which were apparently 

 killed by last winter's frost." Sound advice, which, given twelve months 

 earlier, might have been the means of saving hundreds of valuable things 

 long since consigned to the fire. It is now about a year since long 

 lists of killed and wounded appeared in the columns of different gardening 

 periodicals. If any of the writers of those lists took the course followed by 

 " T. S.," and allowed their shrubs and conifers to stand, it might be interesting 

 to hear how many of their trees, at one time given up for lost, are now living 

 to repay them for their patience. Had I written last spring, I should have 

 given a long list of shrubs and conifers as dead that are now in the finest 

 health. By this it must not be inferred that our losses have been light, 

 extending as this collection does over upwards of 50 acres of uneven ground, 

 from 300 to 600 feet above the level of the sea. The injury done to particular 

 varieties has been partial. Pinus insignis, Cupressus macrocarpa, Chinese 

 Juniper, Arbutus, and Holly of sorts were planted in great quantities, and 

 formed the main features of the place. Below a line of 420 feet every Pinus 

 insignis, upwards of a hundred, and varying from 6 to 30 feet in height, was 

 killed. Above that line of elevation, with one or two exceptions, all are safe. 

 A clump of twenty trees, averaging 20 feet in height, on a west slope three- 

 quarters of a mile from the castle, backed by Oak and Larch, the warm tints 

 of the latter in the spring and autumn contrasting with the dense foliage of 

 the insignis, now form a picture that, if seen, would tempt many a dis- 

 heartened lover of this beautiful Fir to find a high and dry situation whereon 

 to plant it. Cupressus macrocarpa was planted almost entirely below the fatal 

 line. Of this fine Cypress upwards of 120, from 10 to 25 feet in height, were 

 killed. Several large specimens up to midsummer showed no signs of life — 

 every leaf was as dry and brown as if it had been scorched ; when to our 

 agreeable surprise they began to show unmistakeable signs of returning vitality, 

 and they are now, with the exception of a few inches at the top, quite green 

 and healthy. Eight handsome trees, including our largest specimen, w T ere 

 uninjured. Arbutus andrachne, A. unedo, Phillyrea, Alaternus, Evergreen 

 Oak, Laurus nobilis and regalis, Cupressus Lindleyana, Magnolia grandiflora, 

 and three young plants of Quercus glabra commenced growing in July. The 

 stem of an old plant of Q,. glabra was split from the ground 9 inches upwards 

 by the intensity of the frost. It did not lose a leaf ; and, by keeping a bandage 



