508 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



synchronisms of late frosts and blooming time. The tabulation of 

 these observations would enable us to construct two series of curves, 

 which would indicate at a glance the comparative safety of any station 

 for the cultivation of the given crop. The observations at the various 

 stations could be grapliically represented by means of two curves, one 

 indicating the date of last killing frost for each station, the other the 

 date of the opening of the peach flowers. Wherever the frost line lies 

 beyond the bloom line (the frost occurring later than the blooming) 

 peach growing is impossible. When the reverse takes place (the frost 

 occurring before the blooming time) peach growing is possible and the 

 industry is safe in proportion as the two lines diverge. These tabula- 

 tions would be valuable in proportion as they include a minute record 

 of every farm in the given territory; but even a somewhat superficial 

 series of observations would possess great value if accurately made, 

 as indicating the probable influence of local climate upon the given 

 industry. If the lines tend to converge, or if the frost line crosses 

 beyond the bloom line, there is indication, at least, that safe peach 

 lands are few in those localities. The information which these records 

 ask could be well ascertained from observations upon a few peach 

 trees here and there long before any general experiment of cultivation 

 had been tried. 



What has been said of the synchronisms of frosts and blooming period 

 can be repeated with almost equal force for many other attributes of 

 climate in their relations to plant life. The synchronisms of early fall 

 frosts and maturation of certain fruits are subjects of immense impor- 

 tance to the horticulturist. The northern limit of grape culture, for 

 instance, is determined much more by the date of early fall frosts than 

 by winter climates. This is well illustrated by the Catawba, which is 

 our most important native wine grape. It hugs the shores of certain 

 lakes in western New York so closely that the majority of New York 

 grape growers are unfamiliar Avith its cultivation, and fear that its 

 area can not be greatly extended with safety; yet there are undoubt. 

 edly enough isolated Catawba vines in most of the fiuit regions of the 

 State to enable observations to be made for a term of years, and which 

 might give rise to a reliable monograph of the climatal limitations of 

 the variety within the State. 



Contemporaneous eflects of seasonable climates can not be studied 

 upon the wild plants of a region, for these plants have long since over- 

 come the difficulties of the particular climate, or have become acclima- 

 ' tized. Cultivated plants which have been brought in from other cli- 

 mates must, therefore, be chosen as the registers of the meteorological 

 l)eculiarities of a given region. 



There are numerous problems of still more local application which 

 are yet of vital importance to the cultivator and in the solution of which 

 he has the right to expect the aid of the climatologist. The habitual 

 force and frequency of winds during the seasons of maturation of fruits, 



