114 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECOED. 



was obtained, and the juice had a Brix reading of 15.9, a sucrose content of S.75 

 per cent, and a purity of 55 per cent. After clarifying by the addition of lime 

 and soda, allowing to settle, sulphiting to a slightly acid reaction, and boiling, 

 the Brix reading was 14.7, the sucrose content 8.69 per cent, and the purity 59.1 

 per cent. The concentrated sirup did not crystallize readily in the pan, but after 

 breaking the vacuum, and allowing the strike to stand for ten minutes, a fine 

 grain separated, which on subsequently centrifuging and " covering " with steam 

 gave a sugar with the composition of water 1.15, sucrose 97.6, ash 0.34, reducing 

 sugars 0.31, and other organic matter 0.6 per cent. In a laboratory experiment 

 with an extraction of 64.5 j>eT cent by weight, and a sucrose content in the juice 

 of 12.27 per cent, the yield of first and second sugars, calculated to 100° polari- 

 zation, was 5.35 and 1.25 per cent respectively. It is concluded that the work- 

 ing up of maize juice in the factory presents no inconvenience, but that on the 

 agricultural side there are considerable difficulties, namely, the necessity of har- 

 vesting within 18-21 days to avoid a great loss of sucrose by inversion ; the 

 brief duration of the point at which the maximum of sucrose is reached ; and tlie 

 .sensitiveness of the plant to diseases and posts, e.specially in its early period of 

 growth. 



METEOROLOGY. 



A note on the relation of climate to agriculture in California, A. H. 

 Palmer {Mo. WeaUicr Nov., ^3 (1915), No. S, pp. 398-400).— It is stated that 

 " with the sole exception of those tropical conditions which involve continuous 

 high temperature and excessive humidity, California has samples of the cli- 

 mates of every part of the world which permit successful agriculture." A 

 statement, prepared by E. .7. Wickson, showing the time of harvesting the prin- 

 cipal crops of California is given, and emphasizes the fact that seedtime and 

 harvest are practically continuous throughout the year. 



" The mean annual temperatures range from 42.1 to 76° F., while extremes of 

 — 21 and 134° have been recorded in different parts of the State in the same 

 year. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 2 to 113 in., with extremes 

 at different stations ranging from no rainfall to 1.54 in. Altitude above the .sea 

 level rather than latitude controls the temperature, while altitude together 

 with latitude control the precipitation. The southern and lower parts of the 

 State are drier than the northern and higher portions. Summer and winter are 

 terms synonymous with dry and wet periods, respectively, rather than with hot 

 and cold periods. Most of the pi-ecipitation is of cyclonic origin, and since 

 cyclones dominate the winter only, the agricultural portion of the State re- 

 ceives more than 90 per cent of its rainfall during that season. Generally 

 speaking, topography is of more importance as a control of climate than is 

 latitude." 



It is pointe<l out that the terms " northern " and " southern " have little cli- 

 matic and no agricultural application in California. The long growing season 

 which prevails results in second and sometimes in third crops of considerable 

 commercial importance, while differences in altitude make possible a long period 

 during which fresh fruits and vegetables are procurable. From the standpoint 

 of horticulture, which is the leading agricultural interest of the State, "the 

 chief characteristics of California climate are (1) abundance of sunshine, (2) 

 freedom from extremely low temperatures, and (3) an atmosphere with a low 

 percentage of humidity. . . . The humidity, both absolute and relative, is high 

 in winter and low in summer, just the reverse of that in the East. The dry 



