An Abstract of a Letter from the Worshipful John Evelyn Esq; Sent to One of the Secretaries of the R. Society concerning the Dammage Done to His Gardens by the Preceding Winter

An abstract of a Letter from the worhipful John Evelyn Esq; sent to one of the Secretaries of the R. Society concerning the damage done to his Gardens by the preceding Winter. SIR, I should be altogether inexcusable for not having been to wait upon the Society of late, if my health had permitted, with some other unexpected occasions (before I removed from Lond.) which I could not decently avoid: This was I assure you, a sensible Affliction to me, and now I am come into the Country, have beheld the havoc which a rude season has made in my poor Gardens, and receiv'd your Letter, wherein you acquaint me that the Society expects an Account of my sufferings, I must begin with the Poet, In a word, the past Winter has been so severe in my Territories, and where it could expunge the more defensible, and such as were inclosed, it has ravaged all that lay open, and were abroad, without any mercy. As to Timber Trees, I have not many here of any considerable age or stature, except a few Elms, which (having been decaying many years) one cannot well find to have receiv'd any fresh wounds distinguishable from old cracks and hollownesses; and indeed I am told by divers, that Elms have not suffered, as the great Oaks have done; nor do I find amongst innumerable of that Species (Elms) which I have planted, and that are now about 25 and 30 years standing, any of them touch'd: The same I observe of Limes, Wall-nuts, Ash, Beech, Horn-beams, Birch, Chestnut and other foresters: But as I said mine are young comparatively, and yet one would think, that should less protect them, be ause more tender: so as it seems the rising so much complain'd of, has happen'd chiefly among the overgrown Trees, especially Oaks: my Lord [illegible] made his Lamentation to me, and so has the Earl of Chesterfield, Lord Ferrers, Sr. William Fermor and others concern'd in the same Calamity, which I mention, because of their distant habitations. But if rightly I remember, one of these Noble Persons lately told me, that since the Thaw, the Trees which were exceedingly split, were come together and clos'd again, and I easily believ'd it; but that they are really as solid as before? I doubt will not a pear, when they shall come to be examin'd by the Axe, and converted to use: Nor has this accident happen'd only to standing Timber, but to that which has been fell'd and season'd, as Mr. ... the Master Builder in his Majesties Ship yard here, inform'd me: so much for our ... As for ... I fear my Cork-trees will hardly recover; but the Spring is yet so very backward (even in this warm and dry spot of mine) that I cannot pronounce any thing positively; especially of such, whose bark is very thick and rugged, such as is the Cork, Hazelnut, and divers of the resinous Trees. The Constantine-pilatian or Horse Chestnut is turgid with buds, and ready to explain its leaf. My Cedars I think are lost: The Ilex and scarlet Oak not so; The Arbutus doubtful, and so are Rays, but some will escape, and most of them repullulate and spring afresh if cut down near the Earth, at the latter end of the month: The Scotch Fir, Spruce, and white Panié (which last uses to suffer in their tender buds by the spring frosts) have receiv'd no damage this Winter; I cannot say the same of the Pine which bears the greater Cone, but other Norways and Pinasters are fresh: Laurel is only discolour'd, and some of the woody branches mortified, which being cut to the quick will soon put forth again, it being a succulent Plant. Amongst our Shrubs, Rosemary is entirely lost, and to my great sorrow; because I had not only beautiful hedges of it, but sufficient to afford me flowers for the making a very considerable quantity of the Queen of Hungary's celebrated Water: so universal (I fear) is the destruction of this excellent Plant (not only over England, but our neighbour Countries more Southward) that we must raise our next hopes from the Seed. Fucus or Sea Perfolian (of which I had a pretty hedge) is also perish'd, and so another of French junipers; the Cypress are all of them scorched, and some to death, especially such as were kept shorn in Pyramids; but amongst great numbers, there will divers of escape, after they are well chastiz'd, that is, with a tough hazel or other wand to beat off their dead and dusty leaves, which growing much closer than other shrubs, hinder the air and dews from refreshing the interior parts. This discipline I use to all my toniferous shrubs with good success as often as winter parches them. The berry bearing Nervine (which if well understood and cultivated were the only best ... to Cypress) has not suffered in the least; it perfectly resembles the Cypress and grows very tall and thick. I think the Arbor Thuya is alive, and so is the American Acacia, Alnus, Palurus, Papyranad; my Lauriflora looks suspiciously; some large and old Alnus are killed, especially such as were more exposed to the Sun, whereas those that grow in the shade escape; the reason of which I conjecture to be from the reciprocations of being somewhat relaxed every day, and then made rigid and stiff again all night, which bending, and unbending too often, opening and closing the parts, does exceedingly mortify them, and all other tender Plants, which growing in shady places undergo but one Thaw and change. Most of these yet will revive again at the root, being cut close to ground: The Phyllreae angusti, and Serreifolia (both of them incomparably the best for ornamental hedges of any the perennial greens I know) have hardly been sensible of the least impression, more than tarnishing of their leaves, no more have the Spanish Jasmines, and Perianum, and I enumerate these particulars the more minutely, that Gentlemen who are curious, may take notice what Plants they may trust to abroad, in all Events; for I speak only of such as are exposed: As for the choicer Rarities which are set in for hyemation, they certainly escape, or are impair'd, accordingly as they are treated by the more, or less experienced and industrious Gardener, or commodiousness of the Conservatory; but to say what may be added on this Subject, would require a large Chapter, not a Letter, I would in the mean time, advise such as have suffered detriment in their green Houses, not to despair, when they see the leaves off of their Myrtles, Oranges, Oleanders, Jasmines and other precious shrubs, rufflet or altogether shrivell'd and falling; but to cut them to the quick, platter the wounds, and plunge their cases and pots (trimmed with fresh mould, &c.) in a warm bed, carefully refreshed, shaded, air'd and treated as sick patients, and as the prudent Gardener best knows how. But above all, that he be sure, not to expose them, till these Eastern Winds (which I call our English Etesian, and which makes our Springs so uncomfortable, when we think Winter and all danger half) be qualified; for they are deadly to all our Plants abroad, and frequently do us more prejudice than the most churlish Winters; as commonly finishing the destruction of what the frosts have spared, nor are we to be flattered with a warm day or two, which are apt to tempt Gardners to set out their Plants, before the end of April, or that we find the wise Mulberry put forth; which is certainly the most faithful monitor; nor should we indeed, cut, or transplant any of the Perennials till of themselves they begin to sprout. I need say nothing of of Holly, Yew, Box, Juniper, &c. (hardy and spontaneous to our Country) and yet to my grief again, I find an holly standard of near 100 years old, drooping and of doubtful aspect; and a very beautiful hedge (tho indeed much younger) being clip'd about Michaelmas, is mortified near a foot beneath the top, and in some places to the very ground; so as there's nothing seems proof against such a Winter; which is late cut, and expos'd. This hedge does also grow against the South, and is very rufflet, whilst the contrary side is as fresh and green as ever; and in all other places of my Plantations that are shaded, the unshorn Hollies maintain their verdure, and are I judge impregnable against all assaults of Weather. Among the fruit Trees, and Murals, none seem to have suffer'd save Figs; but they being cut down, will spring again at the root. The Vines have escaped; and of the edulent Plants and Salads most, except Artichokes, which are universally lost; and (what I prefer before any Salad whatever eaten raw, when young) my Samner is all rotted to the very root: how to repair my loss, I know not, for I could never make any of the seed, which came from the rock Sampire (tho mine were of the very kind) to grow. The arborescent and other Sedums, Aloes, &c. (tho hous'd) perish'd with me; but the Yuca, and Opuntia escap'd. Tulips many are lost, and so the Conflantinople Narcissus, and such Tuberosæ as were not kept in the chimney corner where was continual fire: some Anemone appear, but I believe many are rotted; but I have made no great search in the flowery Parterre, only I find that most capillaries spring, and other humble, and repent Plants notwithstanding all this rigorous season. My Tortoise (which by his constant burying himself in the Earth at approach of Winter I look upon as a kind of Plant-Animal) hapning to be obstructed by a Vine-root, from mining to the depth, he was usually wont to interr, is found stark dead, after having many years escap'd the severest Winter. Of Fish I have lost very few; and the Nightingales (which (which for being a short wing'd Bird, and so exceeding fat, at the time of the year, we commonly suppose them to change the Climate, (whereas indeed they are then hardly able to flee an hundred yards) are as brisk and trollic as ever, nor do I think they alter their summer itations, whatever become of them all Winter. I know not yet of any body, who has given tolerable satisfaction in this particular, amongst our Ornithologists. Thus Sir. I have sent you a Rhapsody of such Observations as I have been able to make since my return home, and I wish they may prove of any importance to the Society, to which, and to your self. I am Sir, Says Court Depifird April 14, 1684. A most devoted and Obedient Servant