238 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ M.rch 25, 1886. 
from the sea), 18° of frost being the lowest registered, but a few miles 
west further inland from 2-4° to 28° has been frequently experienced. 
Green vegetables, where exposed, are quite shrivelled. Wallflowers, 
and other spring bedding, where p'anted in the autumn and exposed, 
have collapsed. Fruit trees will be benefited by being kept back—always 
an advantage in this climate, where late springs prevail. Roses have 
weathered the storm well. Evergreen trees and shrubs appear so far 
uninjured, haviDg been sheltered by snow and a moist atmosphere, 
whereas when dry frosty winds prevail at this season great damage is 
done to the leaves. All labour on the soil has been suspended for three 
weeks, and the only seed sown outside are a few Peas and Broad Beans, 
and it will be a week or ten days now before anything can be done.— 
George Harris, Alnwick Castle Gardens. 
OXFORDSHIRE. 
The winter here has been a very trying one, not that the temperature 
has fallen so low as is often the case, but the cold has continued for such 
an unusual long time, and we have had E. and N.E. winds, which we feel 
much, being nearly 300 feet above sea level. Lettuce, Broccoli, Spinach, 
&c., are punished ; many Broccoli are quite killed, and looking as bad as 
in 1881. Some Eucalyptus in sheltered places are looking as well as I 
have seen them, except in Cornwall. Many of our specimen trees are 
disfigured through having branches broken by the weight of snow on 
January 7th, and stone walls, gates, doors, &c., are showing the effects of 
weather more than usual. The soil was so dry last season that nothing 
could grow. Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, and Kales are only one-third of 
their usual size. Of course, everything is very late and much behind, 
but the buds on Lilacs and other early shrubs look strong and well ; so do 
all the bulbs. 
We had 17° of fro3t on the 17th inst., and have been having from 5° 
to 13° every night during the past several weeks. We registered 27° one 
night in January. Springs did not reach their usual level till December. 
They were very high in January, and now we are getting dusty dry again 
on this bed of sand.— Wm. Hovell, The Gardens, Heading ton Hill, 
Oxford. 
SHROPSHIRE. 
This has been one of the most sunless seasons that I remember for 
many years. There has been very few hours sunshine since the end of 
January, and very bad for those who have to get Grapes ready early in 
May. There has been sharp frost and snow, more or less, since 1886 
commenced ; but it has been more hindersome for work than destructive 
to plant life, and so far as I can see there is very little damage done to 
shrubs, Roses, and other plants, the lowest point reached being 22° of 
frost, which occurred on the night of the 6th and morning of the 7th of 
the present month. Our greatest fall of snow was in February, when 
there was 1 foot depth. Vegetation is quite dormant. The buds on Apple 
trees look more like December than the middle of March. 
Our only consolation lies in the hope that when once it goes, we shall 
have spring upon us with a rush. The general crops of Peas and Onions, 
&c., are sure to be later than usual, owing to the lateness in getting in the 
seeds.— James Louden, The Gardens, The Quinta, Chirk. 
SUFFOLK. 
From the commencement of the year the weather in this district has 
been almost continuously dull and frosty. The fall of snow has been 
slight, According to our register the temperatuie fell below freezing point 
on twenty-nine nights in January, 14° of frost being the lowest. The 
rainfall, including melted snow, is 2-73 inches. February was a drier 
month, only 0'28 inch of rain. The temperature still low ; on twenty-two 
nights the thermometers showed frost, 14° being the lowest. As yet 
March opened with no improvement in any respect. Frost has occurred 
every night, 11° being the most. The rainfall to present date is 0 69 
inch. Day temperatures from the beginning of the year have been c >rre- 
spondingly low, only on two occasions have the thermometers in the shade 
reached 50°. The wind has mostly prevailed from N.W. to S.E., and at 
times has been bitingly keen. The effect of the weather on green 
vegetables at this season has, without exception, been most disastrous, 
and as regards supply the mischief is felt all the more in consequence of 
the drought of last year that prevailed during June, July, and August, 
which on our light soils greatly retarded the preparation and growth of 
winter greens generally. Moreover, this drought was suddenly broken up 
■in September by 6 28 inches of rain ; this, with the weather that followed, 
seemed to check all further growth, and left a very sparse supply both in 
gardens and farms, a scarcity that is a good deal felt especially amongst 
farmers. Fruit bushes and trees are safe, being in a very backward stage. 
Ground work, tree-planting. &c., has been, and is still, retarded by the 
frost,—J. Wallis, Orwell Park, near Ipswich. 
We have had the longest winter in my recollection, the frost has 
never been very severe. It has registered 18° several times, and once or 
twice 19° of frost. There has been several falls of snow, but none of 
than so heavy as has been experienced in different parts of the country. 
Very few nights have been without frost since January. Trees and shrubs 
have stood the winter almost uninjured, this I attribute in a great measure 
to the absence of sun while the trees were frozen. Vegetables of all kinds 
have suffered severely, especially Celery, Broccoli, Cabbages, Lettuces. 
Borecole and Cottagers’ Kale are as fresh and sound as possible, and for a 
severe winter are the most useful vegetable we have. I believe this is the 
general condition of vegetables in this district. Fruit trees of all kinds 
are as backward as in January.—T hos. Blair, Shrubland Park 
Hardens, 
SURREY. 
I BEG to submit the following items on the weather and its effects : — 
Height of Holmbury above sea level, 650 feet. Eucalyptus, killed ; Sweet 
Bays, Laurustinus, Euonymus, &c., severely damaged, and it may be in 
some cases killed to the ground. Stocks, Wallflowers, Pentstemons, 
Antirrhinums, and other tender herbaceous plants nearly all killed. 
Winter Broccoli nearly all killed, and main crop of spring Cabbages 
quite gone. With regard to frost, I find we have only had six nights in the 
year without frost—viz., the first three days in January, and again on the 
11th, 12th, and 13th of February. Thermometer ranging from 32° to 11° ; 
wind direction since June 24th mostly from N.E. or S.E. ; average frost 
since January 8° nightly. Rainfall for January, 4 - 52, of which 1-92 fell 
in snow ; February, 0 74, of which 0 07 fell in snow ; up to 18th March, 
0 51, of which 0 06 fell in snow.—E. Bayman, The Gardens, Holm- 
bury. 
SUSSEX. 
The weather since Christmas has been the mod remarkable that I ever 
remember. We have had frost and snow for a few days, then rain ; one 
might have fancied we were in for a spell of good weather. Before 
twelve hours hard frost would set in, the wind having veered round to 
N. or N.E, then as suddenly rain again; for six weeks the weather was 
most changeable. For the past fortnight it has been very cold ; wind 
mostly E. or N.E.; frost every night, varying from 8° to 17°, with occa¬ 
sional snow storms. I never saw vegetation cut up so much. Turnips, 
Swedes, Broccoli, Cabbage, Lettuce, Endive, and all kinds of greens 
look as if a fire had passed over them. 
Spring flowers, of course, are very backward and look miserable— 
such as Pansies, Wallflowers, Daisies, Polyanthus, Myosotis, and many 
others, appear to be dead; in fact, everything looks seared, and I fear a 
great number of plants are past recovery. I do not think fruit buds are 
hurt yet; they are not forward enough.— Geo. W. Breese, Petworth 
Park Gardens. 
WORCESTERSHIRE. 
From the 1st of January until now scarcely a night has passed 
without frost, varying from 2° or 3° to 21°. Since the 1st of March the 
cold has been more intense, and accompanied at intervals by heavy snow¬ 
storms and strong easterly winds. Our evergreens, shrubs, and Conifer®, 
such as Bays, Laurels, Laurustinus, Portugals, Magnolias, Euonymus, &c., 
appear none the worse, and I do not think will be. All fruit trees in this 
district promise well for a good bloom, and will be quite a month later in 
flowering than usual. Our Apricots last year were in full bloom at this 
date, now you are unable to discern the colour of the flower. In the 
kitchen garden winter-sown Beans and Peas have suffered very much, 
also young Cabbage, Lettuce, Cauliflower, and everything in a small or 
young stage. Broccoli, however, I think will, as a rule, prove to be 
unharmed.— John Austen, Witley Court Gardens, 
YORKSHIRE. 
The winter with us has been exceptionally cold and long continued. 
Early in January we had a very heavy fall of snow, and from that time 
until now we have never been entirely without snow upon the ground. 
Cold east and north-east winds have preponderated over nearly the whole 
time. One most severe frost was on the morning of March 7th, when 
one thermometer registered 10°, or 22° of frost. At the present date, 
March 17th, we have about 3 inches of snow, with cold easterly winds, 
still no signs of any change to warmer weather. Winter vegetables have 
almost disappeared from the open garden. Brussels Sprouts and Savoys 
have decayed almost to their core, and spring Cabbage plants, which at 
Christmas were large and strong, are now very small and almost lifeless, 
plants which were then small have now entirely vanished. Cabbage 
sprouts are quite killed, and spring Broccoli quite ruined. Hardy shrubs 
will not, I think, have suffered materially, although they now cut but a 
sorry figure. The wood of last year was, however, well ripened, and has 
consequently borne the long-continued cold exceptionally well. The 
buds of all kinds of hardy trees are yet quite dormant. Vegetation of 
all kinds will necessarily be very late indeed with us, and in all gardens 
around Sheffield green vegetables of any kind will be scarce for the next 
two months.—W. K. W., The Gardens, Oakbrook, Sheffield. 
In this part of Cleveland the past winter has been a remarkable one. 
Up to the end of the year the weather was mild and open. The new 
year was ushered in with frost and snow, aud from its advent until 
March 18 th it might be said to have been three months of frost and 
snowstorms. On referring to our weather record 1 find during this period 
that snow has fallen on no less than twenty-nine days, but the climax was 
reached on the 3rd of this month, when snow had fallen continuously 
for two nights and two days, the wind all the time blowing a gale from 
the North Sea. When we first went out on that morning snow was found 
to be from 1 to 3 feet deep, and in some places drifted to 8 and 10 feet. 
On the morning of the 7th we had 17° of frost, and for several days the 
maximum temperature did not exceed 35°. 
It is too soon to say precisely what effect this severe weather will have 
upon vegetation. Already the young shoots of Laurustinus and Portugal 
Laurels are much browned, and some things, such as New Zealand 
Veronicas, Euonymus, and Japanese Privet, are killed outright, but most 
kinds of Conifers and evergreens are little or no worse. All green vege¬ 
tables are much injured. Broccoli?, with the exception of Veitch’s Model, 
look as if they will never recover. 
No outdoor work has been done since Christmas, and of course no 
seeds put into the ground, but we have sown large quantities of Peas and 
