April 1, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
257 
Brussels Sprouts are black and withered, and Chou de Burghley unrecog¬ 
nisable. 
Amongst shrubs, Portugal Laurels and Berberis Darwini already show 
the effects of the storms. There has been very little sunshine, which 
accounts for the slow progress in the forcing department. As it is no use 
lamenting, we have got all available materials made up into hotbeds, and 
Cauliflowers, Lettuces, Brussels Sprouts, See., are coming on to make up for 
losses as soon as possible. Autumn-sown Cauliflowers are potted and in 
comfortable quarters, although those in hotbeds invariably come in use 
before them.—W. A. Miller, Underby Gardens, Westmoreland. 
■WILTSHIRE. 
There has not been such a prolonged period of frost in West Wilts 
for several years. In this neighbourhood the green garden crops have 
suffered severely, especially the Brassicas, which look as if scorched with 
fire. This in our case has been more the result of continuous and bitterly 
cold east winds than low temperature registered, for the lowest reading, 
10?, =-= 22? of frost, was registered March 8th.— Alex. Miller, Rood 
Ashton Park, Trowbridge. 
SCOTLAND. 
BANFF3HIRE. 
The winter here has on the whole not been remarkable for its great 
severity, either as regards a very low temperature or great snowfall; but 
notable for its very low temperature through nearly the whole of February 
and up to the present date, March 17th. Frosty nights with frequent 
showers of snow have been the most prevalent during the last six or seven 
weeks, snow often melting in exposed places through the day. Four to 
five inches deep on two occasions is the most we have had through the 
winter, and roads have not been drifted to interrupt communication. 
Winter commenced here early. We began filling the icehouse on the 18th 
November, an unusually early period. December was a mild month and 
the year began mild. The temperature in the shade on January 1st was 56°. 
The weather continued moderately fine until the middle of the month, 
when frost set in. On the 19th the mercury fell to 15°, or 17° of frost. 
This, and 10° on the 12th of March, are the lowest registered here. 
Vegetation is very much retarded, but hardy plants have shown no signs 
of being injured in this locality. Some Apricot blossom opened on a 
south wall under protection on the 12th inst. was injured by the frost 
above mentioned.— John Webster, Gordon Castle Gardens. 
BUTESHIRE. 
The weather here has been both a long and a severe one for our west 
coast. The frost here is never very severe ; for November our lowest 
reading was on the 14th, 24°; and for December the lowest was on the 
5th, 19° ; and for January the lowest was on the 6th, 20° ; and for February 
the lowest was on the 4tb, 21° ; and on the 6th of this present month our 
readings were 20°, or 12°. We have had a continuance of snowstorms 
since the 4th of January, but we had no damage done to shrubs, as they 
are all kept trimmed ; but many that stood former winters in our kitchen 
garden have been killed this winter, such as autumn-sown Onions, 
Cabbages, Savoys, Lettuces, and some other seedlings that stood in former 
winters without protection.— David McAuslin, Castle Gardens , Brodick, 
Isle of Arran, Buteshire. 
DUMFRIESSHIRE. 
In November there was frost on fourteen nights, giving a total of frost 
of 100°, the most severe being on the morning of the 18th, when the ther¬ 
mometer stood at 12°, or 20° below freezing. This month was characterised 
by sudden changes from frost to thaw. December.—There was frost on 
sixteen nights with a total of 154°, the most severe being on the 11th, 
when 20° of frost were registered. This month was also remarkable for 
the number of times it changed from frost to thaw. January.—There 
were twenty-five nights of frost, with a total of 248°. On the 17,h, 18th, 
19th, and 20tb there were respectively 27°, 27°, 28°, and 26° of frost. 
February.—There were twenty-four nights of frost with a total of 199°. 
There was a good deal of snow, lying nearly the whole month. March.— 
It has been frosty every night up to date, the sixteen nights giving 160°. 
On the 7th and i2th there were 25° and 21° of frost respectively. The 
1st and 2nd gave such a continuous snowstorm as has rarely been seen by 
anyone. Vegetables stood well all through February, but since the snow 
has gone this month almost every green leaf except Leeks have dis¬ 
appeared.— David Thomson, Drumlanrig Gardens. 
MIDLOTHIAN. 
The rather severe and protracted winter has scarcely left us yet, and 
it is not safe to estimate the amount of injury done by it to vegetation 
before we see the effects of warmth and bright sunshine on weakened 
plant life. Up to the end of 1885 the weather was very much of a normal 
character, but with the advent of the new year the temperature began to 
fall below the average and has remained so till this date. The minimum 
was reached on the 19th and 20th January, when the thermometer re¬ 
gistered 10°, or 22° of frost ; and the maximum on January 1st and to-day 
(20;h March), the thermometer rising to 52° in the shade. From the 1st 
to the 18th of March more or less frost has been registered every night, the 
severest being 18° of frost on the morning of the 7th. Snow fell heavily 
on the 1st and 2nd of March, which in many places helped to protect 
vegetation from the severity of the frost, although in open places the 
strong gale of the 2nd swept it clear off and left vegetation fully exposed 
to the cold. In such places vegetation has suffered much from the daily 
freezing and thawing, as well as from the keenness of the blast. The snow 
still lies deep in many places, especially in the upper parts of the county, 
and it will be some time before the heaviest of the wreaths formed by the 
gales of the 2ad and 16th melt clear away. 
So far as can yet be seen trees and shrubs have suffered comparatively 
little. Where exposed to the full sweep of the frosty gales evergreens 
have had their foliage browned, and probably will lose a portion of it pre¬ 
maturely, but otherwise there is no sign of any permanent injury, such as 
we have seen after the severe winters of recent years. Fruit trees are 
perfectly safe, as, owing to the continued low temperature, they have re¬ 
mained dormant up to the last day or two. They are generally full of 
flower buds, and with a genial spring promise an abundant crop. Vege¬ 
tables, especially where exposed to the blast and on heavy damp soils, 
havd been a good, deal cut up, but on warm and dry soils they have stood 
fairly well, and where protected by the snow even Broccoli is fresh and good. 
Brussels Sprouts and Borecole have of course formed the staple “ greens ” 
for the last month, Cabbage and Savoys having in most places melted 
away with the continued freezing and thawing, almost of daily occurrence 
through December and January. Autumn-sown plants of Cabbage, Cauli¬ 
flower, &c., have suffered greatly, and there will be a great scarcity of 
them in some parts for early spring planting. At present the season is 
about three weeks later than the average, but the soil is in excellent con¬ 
dition to receive the crops, and with favourable spring weather th» lost 
time would soon be recovered.—M. 
This winter has been long and severe, and remarkably change¬ 
able. Its effects on vegetation no doubt have been severe, the ground here 
being coated with snow to the depth of 18 inches for the last month. The 
frost we have had this month has been very severe, and would have 
thrown herbaceous and other spring-flowering plants out of the ground, 
but luckily the covering of snow we have had so long has been a great 
protection. March has been one of the worst for snow and frost that ba 3 
been experienced by the oldest people in this district. Weare tbr e weeks 
or a month later this season from last. From the 1st of December, 1885, 
ti March 16th, 1886, rain fell on tweity-three days, amount 3 inches ; 
snow fell on eighteen days ; sunshine fifty-five days more or less ; frost 
fifty-eight days. Total amount of frost 417°.—J. W. Machattie, Rem- 
battle Abbey Gardens, Dalkeith. 
PERTHSHIRE. 
Not since 1881 have we experienced such a severe winter in this 
district; we had then the frost much more severe on several nights, but 
this winter has been much more protracted, as since 5th January to date 
(20;h March) with the exception of a few days in February, the ground 
has been covered with snow to a depth of several inches, and there are 
few nights that frost has not been registered, the severest frost occurring 
on the 19th January, when the glass went down to zero. Fruit trees and 
shrubs are apparently uninjured; vegetables, however, have suffered 
severely, and vegetation is far behind.— James Brown, Abercairneg 
Gardens, Crieff. 
SELKIRKSHIRE. 
The week ending March 13th will be remembered for the amount of 
frost which was recorded; we had 115°- in the week. Nature, when 
released from the bonds of frost and snow, maybe expected to advance 
by leaps and bounds, and certainly she must do so to make up for lost 
time. Seed time, we are told, will surely come—certain it will be a late 
one. We are apt to think present time afflictions and annoyances the 
worst ever experienced, and we may sometimes be wrong when we abuse 
the weather as the “ worst we ever knew but we may be pardoned for 
thinking that this March has certainly proved extremely severe and trying. 
—Scotia. 
WEST LOTHIAN. 
The weather here up to January 3rd was seasonable. Since then to 
about the middle of February it was very severe, with frost and snow 
stopping all ground work. After a break of a week to ten days of mild 
weather, it again came in with the 1st of March very severely from the 
east, with wind and blinding snow, which continued more or less until 
the 19th, when a change to spring weather came and still con¬ 
tinues. 23rd March—Beaches, Apricots, Pears, Gooseberries are swelling 
their flower buds. The two former will soon be in flower if the change 
continues. Shrubs, Portugal Laurels especially, are scorched in exposed 
places as if they had been burned. Roses are as yet dormant, but may 
grow from the root and the old wood. Aucubas have fared the same as 
L lurels ; perhaps the sea may account for the scorching, as we are 
within three minutes walk from the shore.— John Moyes, Dalmeny Park, 
Edinburgh. 
IRELAND. 
For the past twelve years here we have had more severe seasons for 
the time being, but not so protracted. Our first severe frost was in first 
week of December, lo vest temperature 15° of frost; next, second week 
in January, lowest temperature 13°, on 7th. Fourth week we had a 
very sharp week, lowest temperature 18° of frost on 22nd. Our most 
severe frost in February was on the 26tb, 10° of frost. This month has 
been one of the most severe I remember, ushered in by a heavy fall of 
snow, making roads impassable where it drifted. Where the sun did not 
reach, it is still lying. Ground was again covered with snow on the 16th 
and 17th first week of this month. Our sharpest frost was on the 4th, 
14° of frost, the same in the preceding week. Since then 10° has been the 
most severe. Vegetation seems to have suffered less than in previous 
years. I was dubious about our advanced Pear buds, but they seem to be 
safe.— William Lees, Gardens, Hillsborough Castle, Co. Down. 
