April 8, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
277 
Trianaa were in bloom, both light and dark forms, and also D. Percival- 
iana, Ccelogvne cristata, of which Mr. Mease has some splendid plants, 
and several Odontoglossums were in bloom. 
Orchids are not numerous, but there is probably as many Cattleyas 
and LaeHas represented by grand healthy pieces that would fill a large 
house. Tbe house, in fact, where Mr. Mease has grown such flowering 
plants as Stephanotis, Clerodendrons, and others, was ready for their 
reception. The Cattleyas had previously been grown in the Croton house 
and the general stove, where most of them had to be grown when shade 
was necessary. The plants that have been subjected to this treatment 
are all strong and healthy, which affords another proof that Orchids can 
he successfully grown in mixed collections of plants. They certainly are 
better by themselves if houses can be provided for them, but where such 
is not the case cultivators need not be deterred from growing a few with 
other plants.—W. B. 
THE WEATHER AND VEGETATION. 
ENGLAND AND WALES. 
BEDFORDSHIRE. 
The early part of January opened fine, but on the 7th the mercury 
of tbe thermometer fell to 20°, or 12° of frost. From this date snow and 
sharp frosts followed, but on the 13th the temperature rose to 39°, but 
during early morning rain and snow fell, and at 9.30 A.M. a storm of 
unusual violence, accompanied with rain and hailstones, passed over this 
neighbourhood from the north-west, doing considerable injury in some 
parts of the county, uprooting trees and damaging glass structures. From 
the above date to the 14th February frost and snow followed ; the tem¬ 
perature rose to 34° on the 14th, but from this date to the 18th March we 
had frost for thirty-two consecutive nights—very unusual weather for 
the month of March; in fact, I cannot remember such a long spell of 
frost and snow. The sharpest frost of the season occurred on the 7th of 
March, when the mercury of the thermometer fell to 15°, or 17° of frost. 
Although we registered frosts on eighteen nights during March, taking 
the three months of the present year the frost has been more persistent 
than severe. The day temperature has been unusually low, the thermo¬ 
meter seldom registering more than 42°, or 10° above freezing point, at 
midday. On March 18th, from 6 A.M. to 12 P.M., the temperature rose 
from 26°, or 6° of frost, to 48°, or 16° above freezing point, a rise of 22° 
in six hours. 
The drought of the past year and the late severe weather has greatly 
reduced the garden produce. Never do I remember during my gardening 
career such a scarcity of common vegetables as at the present time. 
Kitchen gardens as a rule look like barren wastes, and the outlook for 
the next two or three months is anything but encouraging. The old 
stools of Cabbages are all killed, the autumn-planted stock is nearly as 
bad, Brussels Sprouts are over, and the different Kales are nearly all 
used ; as for Broccoli, I fear many of them will be killed. Turnip tops 
in previous years have been very valuable, but this season they are very 
scarce. The same remark applies to Swedes and other root crops. This 
is owing to the drought of the past year. Parsnips are selling at from £6 
to £7 per ton, owing to the long continuance of frost. The market gar¬ 
deners are very much in arrears with their work ; in fact, quite three weeks 
or a month behind. Several breadths of Onion bulbs for seeds are not 
yet planted, and very little Onion seed has been sown, which in favour¬ 
able seasons is usually sown in February. In previous years most of the 
early Potatoes have been planted by the middle of March, but much 
ground is unprepared for crops. Great mortality has taken place amongst 
our feathered songsters ; many blackbirds and thrushes have been found 
dead, and some of the rarer finches, such as the bramble-finch. The 
house sparrows seem to have held their own, as we know too well, for 
they have made sad havoc with the buds on Gooseberries, young Cabbage 
plants, and Spinach. We usually use black cotton strung about the 
bushes after pruning. This plan has been found sufficient for the sparrows 
until this season. Bullfinches have been busy amongst the fruit buds, 
not only Gooseberry buds, but also Apple-bloom buds. We have found 
it necessary to cover our Gooseberry bushes with nets as well as the 
cotton plan after pruning. Fruit trees generally seem well set with 
blossom buds. The Pears, in spite of the long-continued frost, seem 
to be swelling fast ; Peach and Apricot bloom are beginning to show 
colour.—G. R. Allis, Old Warden Park, Biggleswade. 
BERKSHIRE. 
It is pleasant to be able to notice that in view of a thorough break-up 
of the long wintry weather we may now look forward for a favourable 
fruit season. We are now able to see to what extent plants have suffered 
from the past severe weather. All vegetables are cut; the recent cold 
cutting east winds told more upon them than the whole winter, which, no 
doubt, will have done so, more or less, in different localities, varying 
with the latitude and elevation in which they are grown, also with tbe 
nature of the soil. Broccoli are very much cut, also Lettuce. Some 
varieties' of Strawberries are looking bad just now. Roses, I find, have 
also suffered ; but I am pleased to say our fruit trees are looking wed, 
and since the change both Apricots and Peaches are coming into bloom. 
Should we have mild nights, with hot sunshine, no doubt they will soon 
be all out. Our temperature on the 19th ult., at noon, stood at 85° in 
the sun, with a night temperature on the 20th of 45°. 
The winter commenced here on October 12tb, 1885, when 6° of frost 
were registered, and Scarlet Runners, &c., were cut down. After two or 
three mornings’ frost fine weather followed till October 29th, when 8° of 
frost were registered, the daily readings varying from 4° to 8° till the 
night of November 14th, when the thermometer registered 14° of frost, 
and winter fairly set in, with ice to 2 inches in thickness, though the 
frosts at this period were rimy, and heavy fogs prevailed. During 
November the sun only appeared on eleven days, and then only for a 
very brief period at noon. December was a brighter month. The sun 
anpeared on seventeen days ; keen frosty nights, and E. or N.E. winds: 
16°, 12°, 17°, and 17° of frost was registered on the 9th, lOtb, 11th, and 
12th respectively, also 15° at Christmas. The new year opened with 
sunless days and foggy nights. On the 6th of January the temperature 
ro*e, and snow fell to a uniform depth of 10 inches. Ou the 7th, 21° of 
frost was registered, and on the 8th, 28° of frost (being the lowest reading 
here since December 24th, 1877, when the thermometer fell to zero). On 
the 11th a thaw set in, snow now fast disappearing, and 1-31 inch of rain 
fell in twenty-four hours. 
The weather during February and beginning of March was more 
trying. 12°, 16°, and 18° of frost were frequently recorded, with bitter cold 
east winds : 16° was registered on March 17th, and 5° on tbe 18th, when 
a gradual thaw set in, and rain fell. As already stated, the minimum 
temperature during the night of the 20 h inst. being 45°. The air is now 
soft and spring-like, with westerly breezes ; the maximum reading of 
thermometer in the sun being 81°.— Thomas Jones, Royal Gardens, 
Windsor, 
CHESHIRE. 
After such a long winter we have been quite busy these last few 
days, getting Peas and Beans and other vegetables planted into the open 
ground that were ready started in boxes. I do not observe extraordinary 
damage to plants and shrubs, and not a Laurel appears to be injured, when 
they were all cut down in the three successive hard winters that we had 
nearly ten years ago. I have not kept an exact record of the temperatures, 
but the most that we had was above 24° of frost, and the greatest depth of 
snow did not exceed 6 inches here on the level.— R. Mackellar, Abney 
Hall Gardens, Cheadle. 
DURHAM. 
The late severe snowstorms, which have been more or less continuous 
during the last three months, caused grievous distress, as all outdoor 
occupation, and especially land labour, was suspended for a considerable 
time, caused either by snow or frost, though the latter has not been so 
notably excessive as in the winter of 1880-81, which at the extreme was 
8° below zero. The severest nights of this winter were the 18th and 19th 
January, which registered respectively 22° to 24°. On March 19th we 
had a d, cided change for the better, the wind veered from east to west. 
The effects of the storm have been much felt by vegetables ; young Cab¬ 
bages are flat and black, but most of them are, I think, sound at heart; 
Early Broccoli, no doubt, has suffered a good deal, but the late varieties, I 
think, will escape with a good majority, but Globe Artichokes I fear are 
all dead. Fruit buds of all kinds are remarkably quiet, except Apricots, 
which are scarce, and require protection.— R. Westcott, Rain/ Castle 
Gardens. 
E8SE5. 
This has been a long and trying winter. The frosts have not been so 
intense as in some winters, but they have been more continuous. The 
lowest registered was 21° of frost on the 8th January, and 19° on 7th 
March. All green vegetables are much injured, many of the Broccoli are 
killed, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage plants, Spinach, and Parsley present 
a scorched and withered appearance ; even Leeks are injured. Wall¬ 
flowers, Stocks, and Pentstemons. are nearly all killed. Shrubs appear to 
have escaped.—H. Lister, Easton Lodge Gardens, Dunmon. 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. 
The winter hereabouts is regarded as the most severe in memory 
Some very severe weather was experienced in November and December 
but it was worse in February and March than previously. On severa, 
nights in the first week in February we registered from 10° to 16° of frost, 
then it became very mild and fine, but on March 1st snow fell to the 
depth of 6 inches ; 17° of frost was experienced during the following 
night, and from then until March 18th we had from 8° to 14° nightly. On 
parts exposed to the sun the snow gradually disappeared, but in the shade 
it was not reduced until we had a thunderstorm on the night of March 
18th, followed by rain for two days, when a complete thaw was the result, 
frees and shrubs do not appear to have suffered very much, but they are 
unusually late. Vegetables have suffered severely ; spring flowers have 
had a hard time ; fruit trees, especially Ihox on the walls, are later in 
blooming than 1 ever remember them, as we have often had the Apricots 
in blossom in February and the Peaches almost full out by the middle of 
M .rch. The fields are as bare now as at midw n er, and the farmers are 
teeliug severely the want of herbage for their sheep, lambs, and general 
stock.—J. MUIR, Margam Park, Port Talbot, S. Wales. 
NORFOLK. 
A LONG trying winter, wh : ch will be memorable here for its persis¬ 
tency more than for its severity, finally broke up on March the 19th, 
having begun about December 9th with a fall of enow. The snowstorms 
in Norfolk have not been so heavy as in other parts of the country. The 
