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PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
of cold, as indicated by the thermometer in 1814 ; but from the effect produced on 
the water of the Nore, we may fairly infer that it was as low as in this year. Why, 
then, it may be asked, had it not the same effect on vegetable life ? I would 
answer this question by saying, that, from all I can learn, the frost in 1814 did not 
continue long ; it was, also, preceded by a very heavy fall of snow, which lay so 
deep on the ground as to impede the travelling of coaches between Kilkenny"and 
Dublin for the space of three weeks. Again, the severe weather in 1814 commenced 
on the first day of January, at which season the sap in plants would be more 
dormant; and, consequently, less liable to injury from frost than in the middle of 
February. Another cause why the frost of 1814 was less injurious to plants than 
that of 1855 may be found, if we assume that the frost in the former year followed 
a cold autumn, as I need hardly tell you, that the frost in this year succeeded a 
very mild season, so much so, that the beautiful scarlet blossoms of the Pyrus 
Japonica might be seen contrasted with their snowy covering, from which they 
peeped out, until blighted by repeated attacks of frost. 
This allusion to a Japan plant reminds me that I may safely say, from observa¬ 
tion, that plants from Japan have withstood the effects of the frost better than 
most others, a peculiarity which, in addition to their great beauty, ought to recom¬ 
mend them to those planting. A striking proof of the hardy nature of Japan 
plants may be seen in front of Dr. Kearns’s house on the parade, where an arbutus 
and gold plant have been growing for many years—the former (said to be indigenous 
to Ireland, being found growing wild at Killarney) is completely killed, the latter 
(a native of Japan) remains quite green and untouched by the frost. The aspect 
of Dr. Kearns’s house is north-east. 
As I have already, in quoting from Mr. White, given you the names of some of 
the more common evergreens which have been destroyed, I will now mention those 
which he says withstood the severity of the frost; he says—“ To the great credit of 
Portugal laurels and American junipers, be it remembered, that they remained 
untouched amidst the general havoc.” During the late frost, Portugal laurels have 
suffered very little; and, if for American juniper we may read American arbor-vitae, 
I know of no evergreen that has escaped so well. As I purpose attaching to these 
notes lists of plants, under the heads of “killed” and “injured,” I have not em¬ 
bodied them in my paper. 
A careful examination of a large number of shrubs leads me to state, that old 
and well-grown plants withstand the effects of frost better than smaller and younger 
specimens of the same kind ; it appears as if the frost completely penetrated the 
pores and dried up the sap of small branches. 
The late severe weather has been indirectly very fatal to birds, as whilst the 
earth was covered with snow, or bound up by hard frost, their supply of food was 
equally shut up from them; the consequence was, that great numbers of birds 
perished from starvation more than from cold, particularly those sweet songsters— 
blackbirds and thrushes. I have, also, heard that want of food made the common 
rooks carnivorous, as they have been seen devouring small birds. I only observed 
one strange bird during the frost; it was a specimen of the gray wagtail, not un¬ 
common in other parts of Ireland, but certainly rare in this locality. I fear, how¬ 
ever, that the cold or want of food has deprived us of one of our most graceful 
birds, the yellow wagtail, as I miss them from a spot which I have known 
a pair to frequent for several years. The cold had, also, the effect of retarding 
the singing of birds, as the chaffinch did not begin to sing until the 22nd 
of February; for many years I have remarked that it invariably sang about 
the 12th. 
To the late severe weather we may also attribute the great mortality which has, 
unfortunately, prevailed in many flocks, as in too many cases farmers, encouraged 
by the general mildness of our winters, had neglected to provide food, suitable to 
the emergencies of an exceptional winter. 
Shrubs Killed. —Cypress, Aristotelia, Arbutus, Bay, Eschalonia rubra, Tree 
Lupine, Furze (common and upright), Cytisus (budded on laburnum), Crimson 
China Rose, White Noisette Rose, Rosemary, Leycesteria formosa, Phylerea, 
Mediterranean Heath, Laurustinus, Chinese Privet, Photinia serrulata, Edwardsia 
(on a wall), and Clianthus (on a wall). 
