284 
THE FLORIST S JOURNAL. 
clayana, as the former has stood uninjured here during last 
winter, and has now a number of flower-buds on it; and the 
other two, though seemingly entirely destroyed, have sprung up, 
and are now flowering freely. But I consider these can never 
be depended on as wall plants in this country during very bad 
winters, though their roots be ever so well protected from moisture 
by boarding, or any such means. 
With best wishes for the success of the Florist’s Journal, and 
best respect for yourself as conductor, 
I am, Sir, your obedient Servant, 
J. M c D onald, 
The Vale , Peeblesshire, 
THE WEATHER FOR OCTOBER. 
The weather during this month has been a continual succession of cold 
winds from the westward, and heavy, but not continuous falls of rain, with oc¬ 
casional frost, though of no great severity, toward the close of the month. 
Such weather has been very unfavourable to the autumnal bloom, especially of 
the finer sorts of flowering plants. The roses have not been able to open 
their petals, but have been discoloured by the rains, and thus have presented 
an unseemly appearance, instead of that beauty which they display when 
October is fine. The herbaceous plants have also suffered in their bloom, and 
their stems have been disfigured by the winds ; and though the weather has 
been otherwise favourable to the roots, this premature destruction of the 
leaves and stems has been against their ripening. Many of the Dahlias, and 
other natives of elevated places within the tropics, have suffered a good deal in 
their leaves and stems, especially in low and humid situations, which are the 
very worst for them to be in, when even slight frosts alternate with heavy rains 
in October. Shrubs, except very tender ones, have suffered much less, and 
the strength of shoots is perhaps greater than if the summer had been a warm 
and dry one. It is also probable that both they and the perennial roots will 
be more secure in case of an early winter, of which there is much probability, 
than if the summer and autumn had been more dry and warm. Altogether, 
the outdoor ornamental plants have suffered a great deal, and their beauty 
for the year is almost over; but there is some probability that their 
growth and appearance next year may be increased by this approximation 
of the last month in autumn to the character of the beginning of winter. 
The absolute quantity of rain has not been so great as it often is, w'hen 
the month appears more dry ; and it has not been of that soaking kind 
which sinks deeply into the earth and stagnates the air, to the great 
injury of the roots of plants. The heavy falls have, however, caused a 
great flooding of many of the water-courses, though these floods have not 
