Twenty-First day of March, and we are still ice-bound here in Western New York. The greater part of our February snows have disappeared from open places, but on the east side of the fences, and in all the cross roads and lanes running north and sooth, solid beds yet remain. For two weeks past, spring has been promised, - a fine, bright son and a bland atmosphere, for a day or two, and then a freeze, heavy clouds, and perhaps violent gusts of wind. We await the growing season impatiently, because until then it will be impossible to determine the extent of damages sustained by the extraordinary cold of the 9th and 7th of February. Already we know that not only are the Peach fruit-buds almost totally destroyed through Western New York, but thousands of old trees are dead, dried up, seasoned as thoroughly as cord-wood that was cut six months ago. This is the case over a very large tract of country - indeed the entire Peach district of Western New York, from Oswego to Buffalo. We think that nearly all aged trees, and those bordering on decline, must perish; but there is yet hope for the young trees. They too have suffered; but the vigor and elasticity of youth may enable them to recover.* This shows what we may expect when the thermometer descends to 20° or 25° below zero.

Peach trees never could be better prepared to resist the effects of intense cold. The dry season of 1854 ripened the wood and matured the buds in the most perfect manner. Neither could any intense cold be accompanied or succeeded by more favorable circumstances - a perfect calm during the entire two cold days and nights, at the same time cloudy, and remaining so until a day or two after the cold period had passed.

A correspondent of the Rural New Yorker advances the opinion that the Peach buds have not perished by the cold alone, but from being unusually well matured and fully developed by last season's drouth and heat; that when we have cool, moist seasons, allowing the Peach to grow late, the buds ere able to withstand a much greater degree of cold. In our opinion this reasoning is not sound. Give us well-ripened wood and buds to resist cold. We see that in the case of young Peach and Apricot trees that grew until a late period in the fall) the points of the shoots are quite winter-killed, while young, ripe shoots, in older trees, are comparatively safe. Buds may get into a stage of development, as in spring, towards blossoming time, when they would certainly be more easily injured than even imperfectly matured buds. But this state of things does not exist in winter.

Fortunately, there was a good covering of snow on the ground, so that Peach and all other buds of last summer's working in the nursery are safe. In examining some nurseries of young Peaches budded last summer, we found about half the stock above the snow, quite discolored, and what is usually called winter-Wild; while below the snow, all is safe and sound. It is surprising, too, how thin a covering of snow has proved to be a complete protection. In some cases we find branches of evergreens that were covered not more than one or two inches deep, come oat as fresh and green as in mid-summer; while all above the snow-line, the foliage is as red as though it had been scorched by fire.

* The Pear fruit-buds are considerably injured; Cherries but slightly, as far as we are able to judge at present Mr. Downing Informs us that at Newburgh the thermometer was not lower than 14° below zero, yet three-fourths of the Peach buds are destroyed, and Cherries considerably injured.

In England the winter has been remarkably severe - unequalled within seventeen years past. In commenting on it, the Gardener's Chronicle states the following, to show the protecting power of snow:

"The effect of snow, even in small quantities, as a protecting material, was strikingly shown on the night of the 10th (February). While the exposed thermometer stood at 1°, another close by, covered by two inches of loose snow, stood at 20°".

Hero we see two inches of snow giving 19° difference - a fact that should not be forgotten. We can not pursue this subject further at present, but shall return to it when we obtain more information. Our correspondents will oblige us, and benefit all readers of the Horti-culturst, by giving such facts in relation to it as may come under their observation.

The New York Horticultural Review, issued in New York, having been merged in the Horticulturist, subscribers to the former will be supplied from this office for the remaining period of the year for which they have paid.

The Horticulturist is now so well known and established that the undersigned feels confident his own subscribers will at least not be losers by the exchange, and he cordially invites them to become readers of a work that is esteemed wherever it is known.

In taking leave of my friends, I plead only pressing business engagements, which oblige me to give up a post that otherwise it would have been both my pride and pleasure to have continued. C. Reagles, Editor and Publisher.

New York, March 15, 1856.

Germantown, N. Y., March 22,1856. Dear Sir: On the night of the 25th of December last, we had an icy rain; the following morning, everything was completely enveloped with ice; branches of fruit-trees no larger than a straw, were frequently seen increased so much in thickness, as to measure an inch in diameter, and fruit trees, in many instances, were laden with it so heavily as to be completely crushed with its weight. This ice remained on the fruit-trees about ten days, the weather, in the mean time, being severely cold; the ice never thawed off, but froze and shook off with the wind. Its remaining on so long has been very injurious to the fruit buds of the peach and apricot, completely spoiling them in this locality.

Yours, truly, WM. Tompkins.

BURLINGTON, IOWA.

J. Jay Smith, Esq. - My dear Sir: If Jeffrey's Red Raspberry, alluded to in his review, in the March number of your magazine, prove to be "as hardy as a currant bush," it will be an acquisition to us worth many dollars.