The Privet has been a favorite hedge plant, in Buffalo, for many years, and previous to the extremely cold winter of 1854-5, there were many hedges of it which had attained a large size, some of which in beauty were scarcely to be surpassed by anything short of the Maclura. In the succeeding spring some persons discovered that their hedges were very late in pushing, and upon closer examination very many of the plants were apparently killed to the ground. In our own grounds, a short hedge of about four feet in height was taken up, cut down to about four inches, and replanted in another spot The plants nearly all survived, but having been neglected, made little growth. Other hedges, after lingering for some weeks, eventually came into leaf, while some again either wholly or in part died.

Succeeding this came another cold winter, and again the hedges "caught it," so that of those which survived the former winter, few went through the summer without showing some indications of hard usage. In some instances, the plants were killed in spots, as if injured by an insect. In others the extremities were affected, while a few, not more sheltered, apparently escaped with little or no injury. This feature puzzles me: I have had suspicions that an insect might have something to do in the matter, but upon examining (not very scientifically, however) the plants, both dead and alive, I could detect no indications of the presence of any such foe. Remarkably fine standard plants have been gradually dying since, and are now defunct, and of the hedges I do not know of one (of any age) which has not been more or less injured.

Now, Mr. Editor, we have always been accustomed to consider the privet as hardy as the oak, and it has, I think, heretofore, so proved; but it appears that we have been greatly mistaken. I should much like to know If the experience of other parts of the country is similar to our own *, and whether, in past years, there has been any complaint of a like nature. If the privet can not be relied upon as a hardy plant for ornamental hedges and screens, the multitudes who have already planted it for these purposes will be greatly disappointed. Juvenis.

[We have heard of no similar instances of injury to the Privet from cold, notwithstanding the severity of last winter, and are inclined to regard the cases presented by "Juvenis" as of a purely local character. We should be sorry to know that the Privet was not an entirely hardy plant - Ed. H.]