VARIETIES OF WHEAT. 



347 



A COMPARISON of the Rainfall and Number of Wet Days in the Months 

 March to September in 1864, 1865, and the Average of the last 

 Fifteen Years. 



The temperature was taken by Mr. Henry Gibb, gardener to 

 Elias Cathcart, Esq., Auchendrane House, Ayr, and the rainfall 

 by Mr. Thomas Thomson, North Craig, Kilmarnock. 



Owing to much frost in December and the beginning of 

 January, the braird was longer in making its appearance than 

 usual, but on January 8th all were distinctly visible. There 

 was no perceptible difference between them. The spring of 

 1864 was characterized by severe frost and strong sunshine, and 

 was particularly trying to young wheat ; so much so, indeed, that 

 many fields had to be ploughed down and sown with oats or 

 barley, and all the lots suffered less or more. The Fenton and 

 Hunters seemed to have suffered fully more than the others, at 

 least they were always yellower in colour ; but all were even, 

 from crown to furrow, and were sufficiently thick on the ground. 

 After the coarse, wet weather in March and beginning of April, 

 there was a long period of dry forcing weather till the end of 

 May, in which all the lots made great progress. Two sharp 

 nights' frost in the beginning of June blackened a number of 

 the leaves of the Hunters ; the others were only very slightly 

 affected. In July, when the wheats were in flower, the weather 

 was all that could be desired — dry, warm, and calm. August 

 also was a fine month. 



On September 5th, the head ridges at both ends of the plots 

 were shorn, and avenues 3 feet wide were cut out between the 

 lots, the produce of which was carried off to the end. The 

 breadth left of each plot was then measure J, and other avenues 



