PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
89 
Butler at Woodstock, that the thermometer at midnight on the 11th of February 
indicated 25 degs.; on the 12th, 19 degs.; on the 13th, 15 degs.; and on the 14th, 
10 degs.; thus confirming White’s theory, “that frosts advance to their utmost 
severity by somewhat of a regular gradation.” Another theory of White’s is, “ that 
intense frosts seldom take place till the earth is completely glutted and chilled with 
water,” giving as examples the winters of 1739-40 and 17G8, which set in after wet 
autumns. Most of you will recollect that last autumn was with us unusually dry, 
so much so, that the springs supplying many of the public wells were dried up— 
amongst them, that of St. Canice’s Well, an event which had not been known to 
occur before. White, in describing the situation of his plantations, and the manner 
in which the shrubs were affected, thus writes—“ It was in such an aspect (sheltered) 
that the snow on the author’s evergreens was melted every day, and frozen intensely 
every night; so that the laurustines, bays, laurels, and arbutuses looked, in three 
or four days, as if they had been burnt in the fire ; while a neighbour’s plantation 
of the same kind, in a high, cold situation, where the snow was never melted at all, 
remained uninjured.” “ From hence (continues White) I would infer, that it is 
the repeated melting and freezing of the snow that is so fatal to vegetation, rather 
than the severity of the cold.” 
I quote this passage as it so well describes the appearance of the same shrubs 
which have been blasted by the frost in this vicinity; although the Rev. James 
Graves tells me, that at his father’s residence, the Rectory of Coolcullen, about 
nine miles from Kilkenny,* and eight hundred feet above the level of the sea, 
shrubs of the same kind were not injured, owing to the coldness of the situation ; 
and Mr. Jesse, in a note in his edition of White’s “ Selborne,” states, that “ a few 
years ago, laurels, laurustines, &c., were killed to the ground in the more sheltered 
situations, while those in bleak, exposed situations escaped. Tender plants have 
more chance of surviving frost when in cold spots than when in those more 
sheltered. The sap is kept back, and, of course, the plants are not so likely to be 
affected by the frosts.” 
To this I may add, that if there were sufficient snow upon the ground to wrap up 
the more humble vegetation, plants on a high, cold situation, or those planted at 
the north side of a wall or hedge, would suffer less than plants of the same kind in 
more sheltered spots, or those planted at the south side of a wall, as in the former 
localities the snow would continue longer. I have here a plant, in a pot, of the 
Deodar pine, which is one of a large number plunged in a border of Mr. Fennessy’s 
nursery ; you will observe so much of the plant as was enveloped in snow is quite 
green—the upper part, not having been so protected, is quite brown, and I fear 
destroyed; this illustrates very well the manner in which plants are saved in very 
cold countries from the ravages of frost; since it is so ordained, that in those 
countries where cold is the most intense, that there the covering of snow is the 
deepest. In this beautiful arrangement of nature, we must recognise design—that 
is, “ an adaptation of means to an end”—in this case the snow being the means and 
the end , the saving of vegetable life, which without such a covering would cease to 
exist in the northern regions. 
One of the consequences of the late frost was, that the River Nore, between St. 
John’s-bridge and Green’s-bridge, was frozen over, a circumstance which had not 
taken place since the winter of 1813-14. As those who do not recollect this winter, 
have heard of it, I have made inquiries of several persons about its severity and 
effects. One of my informants (Mr. Fennessy’s foreman) has been employed in 
the Kilkenny nurseries for the last forty-three years; he assures me that ever¬ 
greens were not affected by the frost of 1814 as they have been this year; and I 
am convinced that he is correct in saying so; for some splendid specimens of 
arbutus, aristotelia, Chinese privet, and bay have been killed in the Castle 
gardens—these very large shrubs must have been, at least, fifty years old ; the frost 
has also destroyed the fine hedge of laurustinus which crowned the Castle wall, 
and formed so striking and pleasing a feature in that beautiful view to be had from 
St. John’s-bridge—a view to which Kilkenny-men may direct the eyes of strangers 
with feelings of pride and pleasure. I have been unable to learn the lowest degree 
Kilkenny stands about 186 feet above the level of the sea. 
