EDITORIAL. 503 



Miscellaneous : Damages from insects, diseases, frosts, storms, etc. 



(The 12 one-tenth acre plats occupy only 1' acres, and are surrounded by a 7-lbot 

 protecting margin which is planted like the plats. The crop on this margin of 

 course is harvested separately, and enters no further into the experiment. It is 

 designed that there shall i>e six Hi-foot rows on each plat, the plats being 21 feet 

 wide). 



This plan limits the investigations to one crop — coin — and a definite 

 set of observations, but contemplates duplicating the observations in 

 a number of localities. It is offered simply as a suggestion of the 

 direction such studies might profitably take. Similar studies might 

 be planned for other farm crops. 



Such field observations have been greatly simplified by Professor 

 Whitney's recent invention of electrical apparatus for the measurement 

 of temperature and moisture in soils in place. 



The observations in the field might well be checked by studies in 

 the greenhouse or ••elimatologieal laboratory" suggested by Professor 

 Abbe, where the various conditions are under more or less complete 

 control. 



The results obtained in investigations of this character will have an 

 important bearing upon the question of the life zones of agricultural 

 plants, which is receiving considerable attention at present. The 

 attempt has been made to map the life zones of agricultural plants on 

 the basis of the sums of effective temperature (above 42 or 43° F.); 

 but, as Sir Henry Gilbert has so forcibly maintained, we can make no 

 safe practical application of the sums of effective temperature without 

 taking into consideration the modifying influences of other meteoro- 

 logical factors, and this necessitates careful and detailed observations 

 of all of these factors in their adaptation to the character and phases 

 of development of the plant itself. This measurement of the relation 

 between the meteorological elements in terms of plant development 

 is defined by Professor Whitney as climatology in its strict sense. 

 Climatology, therefore, *'is not a simple summation, but a compli- 

 cated expression involving the general relation of certain functions 

 of meteorological elements the values of which we do not as yet under- 

 stand." ' 



1 Science, n. ser., 7 (1898), No. 161, pp. 113-115. 



