EFFECTS OF ri.IMATIC (( >N' DI'IIONS. 15 



In tlu» case of holls (he coiuliisions indicali'd arc <|uil(' similar lo 

 tlioso wliicli have Ix'iMi slated lor s(|uai('s. 'V\\v |)(>ic('i»ta»;(' of locks 

 showini; proliferation in consc(|uon('c of weevil injury is reniarkahly 

 uniform, vaiyin<i; throu<i;h a ninjjo of oidy Hi per cent in three years in 

 three localities and with two varieties. Kurthermorc, the percenta<;e 

 is almost identical with that shown for s([uares. 



liy fai' I lie hiijhest |)ercenta|je of mortality amon*; weevils in holls 

 was that found in Victoria in \\H)'.i, when an averaij:e of 40.') per cent 

 of all immature sta<j:es was found dead in Kin<; holls. The weather 

 during a six-weeks period prece(lin»i: the examination was exceptionally 

 cool and dry, hut a heavy rain fallint^ shortly hefore the examination 

 was made may have heen a factor in markedly increasmtj the mortality. 

 The ])ercentage of dead sta<^es in locks in th(^ presence of proliferation 

 for all the holls examined averaged 7 per cent hi^jher than it did in 

 squares. The percentage of dead stages in locks where no prolifera- 

 tion occurred was also higher in holls than in squares h}- nearly 15 per 

 cent, so that the increase in mortality apparently due to proliferation 

 was only about 13.4 per cent in holls, whereas it was 19.2 per cent in 

 squares. It would appear that in bolls the nonral mortality, which 

 has no relation to |>roliferation, is not as clearly influenced by vary- 

 ing climatic conditions as it appears to be in the squares. 



EFFECTS OF CLIMATK' CONDITIONS. 



In conn(>ction with Tables 111 and I\', some statement should be 

 made regarding tlu> climatic coiiditions prevailing in each locality dur- 

 ing the |)erio(ls in which the observations recorded were being made. 

 The statements following are based largely upon tlie published 

 Weatiiei- Uureau records. We shall begin witli the records for Wc- 

 toria in l!i(i;^. considering first the data for about six weeks preceding 

 the examination of bolls made on October 14, 1003. as we mav safely 

 assume tliat a large majority of thes(> bolls had i)een attacked within 

 that time. \Vhil(> |)receding conditions, especially those regarding 

 rainfall, may hav(» had some inlluence upon jilant growth during this 

 ])eiio(l, we believe they may safely be disi-cgai'ded. assuuiing (hat tlu> 

 conditions immediately prevailing would b(> most signilicant in their 

 inlluence upon the growth of the plant, the development of the weevil 

 stages in buds and bolls, and the fornnition of piolifcMat ion. 



The nu'an average tem|)erature at Victoiia duiing Se|)tember, 190.3, 

 was 77.2° F., which was 3.7° below the noiinal. During the lirst thir- 

 teen diiys of October the mean temperature averag<'d 75. S°, which was 

 about normal. I'recipilal ion during September was very slight, 

 amounting to only 0.54 inch, which was nearly 3 inches below the 

 normal. During the first thirteen days of October the rainfall 

 amounted to 1 .75 inches, which was 0. IJ inch above th(> normal. 



