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MOORLAND RESEARCH in 1909. 



by Frank Elgee. 



The investigation of the Cleveland Moors having reached 

 the systematic stage, it is proposed to embody the chief 

 results in a series of annual reports in the Proceedings, of 

 which this paper is the first. Many of the facts contained 

 in the ensuing synopsis were the subject matter of a lecture 

 delivered to the Club on November 6th, 1909. 



Climate 



The climate of the moors is of great importance in their 

 economy, and it will, therefore, be of value to place on record 

 the atmospheric conditions of the moors from year to year. 

 The effect of the weather of 1909 upon the moorlands was 

 marked. Owing to the extremely heavy rains of June, July 

 and August, normally dry moors became wet, moderately 

 wet moors were half converted into bogs, and the wettest 

 moors of the watershed and the slacks were almost im- 

 passable. On the moors just east of Saltersgate Inn large 

 pools, hollows and artificial drains were full of water on 

 August 7th, after four days' hot sunshine which caused the 

 submerged vegetation to putrefy and emit quantities of 

 marsh gas. 



Weather, such as we experienced during the year, would, 

 if continual, produce a type of vegetation peculiar to the 

 wettest moorlands. The saturation of the vegetation would, 

 doubtless, lead the plants typical of wet moors to spring up 

 on the normally drier moors. The absence of sunshine and 

 saturation of the atmosphere caused the heather to develop 

 fewer flowers than usual. This indicates a smaller absorp- 

 tion of food materials both from the soil and from the 

 atmosphere. Although the inrolled leaf of the chief ericetal 

 plants enables them to transpire under very unfavourable 

 conditions, the super-saturation of the air with water vapour 

 has this year clearly interfered with the process of transpira- 

 tion. The moor soil was likewise cold and wet up to the end 

 of July, a circumstance which still further retarded the 

 development of blossom. 



