SINGULAR, indeed, are the freaks of Nature. No two seasons are alike in degree of cold. If the thermometer measures the extreme of two winters alike at 25° below 0, yet the number and severity of cold days will differ. The same degree of cold, with the wind northeast, will be more severely felt by the animal, than when the wind is dryer from the northwest. But the dry long freeze is more severe on vegetable and tree life; it freezes dry. I have seen the ground freeze up very dry, and continue dry and hard frozen, the moisture all the time being exhausted, causing great destruction in nurseries of small trees; whilst larger trees, that struck their roots deeper, lived and were comparatively little injured.

Last fall we had sufficient rain to wet the ground eight or ten inches deep, to which I attribute the cause of my young nursery trees coming through the very severe, long, freezing winter, with so little injury, greatly assisted, also, by the slight covering of snow and ice commencing the 20th of December. A peculiar effect of the hard winter has very much surprised me, in finding the Ben Davis apple tree very much injured, so much so, that whilst it bloomed full, it has not life and action enough to grow the embryo fruit after the flower had fallen. This is often the case with many varieties after such a hard winter; but this Ben Davis has so long been classed among the hardiest, that it is put in the lists for Northern Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. On the other hand, the Wagner, which I have often seen very much damaged by less severe winters, comes out green and bright this spring, setting full of fruit.

These are exceptions to the general rule, and when we see such peculiarities we may note them, and look back to the general established character, wherever that character has become established. I repeat, that most of my orchard trees that show damage at all, show it more in the orchard than in the nursery. Whilst I have named two varieties which seemed to depart from the general character, the one more injured, the other less, yet I find the greater number continue true to character.

We. cannot afford to discard some of our valuable varieties because they have got this mark of not being perfectly hardy this testing winter. The Maiden's Blush, Jonathan, Domine, and Striped Pippin are damaged this winter, and have been before, yet they have proved profitable.

Among the new varieties that I have fruited and found.valuable, and have proved hardy this winter, are Alexander's Early, Warfield, Duchess of Oldenberg, all full of fruit. Fountain Hill, a seedling of my raising, is hardy and productive, a very choice apple from September to January; will keep with the Rambo, and a better tree and fruit every way. Goff, a most perfect tree, very productive, fruit of largest size, fair and handsome, very sound, good for market and cooking, Sept. Blackley Pippin, first rate, early winter. Jefferson County: Some with high expectations, not fruited by me. Armstrong, brought from Pennsylvania by Rev. John Armstrong, a good apple, keeps till summer; stood this winter well. Wealthy, a native of Minnesota, as hardy as need be; a very good apple, fall or winter. Pears considerably damaged; light crop. Cherries slightly damaged'; medium crop. The English Morello is proving as hardy as Early Richmond, and a better cherry every way, two weeks later, thus extending the cherry season.

Grapes: Concords, Ives, Martha and Clinton. Others have mostly failed. Ives earlier than Concord; Clinton, to keep late in the fall; Martha, a white and very sweet grape.

Small fruits badly damaged, and we shall have a scant supply. I saw, on Mr. Barnard's grounds, the Bernard Blackberry stood the winter very well, and promises to be the blackberry for our use. A native of Ohio, found by his brother in the woods.

Muscatine, Iowa.