478 On the Groioth of Barley by different Manures, Sfc. 



1857 and 1855, the years (particularly the former) of high pro- 

 portion of corn, stand higher in the meteorological registry tlian 

 1854, which was the year of largest total produce, both corn and 

 straw, and of highest weight per bushel of corn. The characters 

 of season favouring quality and quantity respectively, are indeed 

 in a certain degree opposite ; and the high actual amount of 

 corn in 1854, was due rather to enormous general growth, suc- 

 ceeded by pretty favourable maturing conditions. 



The characters of the season of 1854 were indeed, almost 

 throughout, much more those of continuity and bulk of growth 

 than of special tendency to seeding. Thus, tlie seed Avas put in 

 rather earlier than in any of the other years — April was com- 

 paratively warm, with little though distributed rain, and a moist 

 atmosphere — May had scarcely average temperatures, a moist 

 atmosphere, a very large fall of rain, and a large number of rainy 

 days — June averaged very low maximum temperatures, and had a 

 very small range of temperature, a moderately moist atmosphere, 

 and not much amount, but considerable distribution of rain — July 

 averaged rather low temperatures, had only a moderate amount and 

 distribution of rain, and not much moisture in the atmosphere. 

 Lastly, August commenced with low temperatures, had then for a 

 period only moderate and even low temperatures, but concluded 

 with higher ones ; it had a large amount of rain in the earlier, a 

 small amount in tlie intermediate, and still less in the later periods, 

 also almost throughout, a moderately dry atmosphere — thus giving 

 conditions of further growth almost up to the last, and finally, 

 favourable maturing characters. Taking the season of 1854 as a 

 whole then, we have a long and almost unbroken period favouring 

 extended growth, and finally, good conditions of ripening. The 

 result is an enormous bulk of total produce, and though the 

 largest actual, nearly the smallest proportional amount of corn. 



Let us take another extreme. Tables X. and XL show that 

 1856 was the worst of all the years, for almost every point, both 

 of quality and quantity of produce. Its vicissitudes were very 

 great. April was moderately warm and wet — May had compara- 

 tively very little warm weather, its amount and distribution ot rain 

 were very large, but the atmosphere was frequently comparatively 

 dry — June reached both high and very low temperatures, iiad a 

 considerable mean range of temperature, not much amount, and 

 limited distribution of rain, but frequently a very moist atmos- 

 phere — July again reached comparatively very low temperatures, 

 had a more than average range, considerably below the average 

 fall of rain, yet a moderate average amount of moisture of atmos- 

 phere. Finally, August, the ripening month, in its first week 

 reached both very high and very low temperatures, giving an 

 enormous range, and had very little rain ; in its second week, 



