174 PERIODICITY IN TllE GROWTH OF SUGARCANE 



luonsoon i,s later or iiisufiicient, the canals are opened late, and various expedi- 

 ents are resorted to, to keep the canes alive. When the canals are opened, there 

 is abundant water for the rest of the growing period, the only danger being 

 that of water-logging, because of too much rain in September to November. 

 The printed summaries of the weather during the two seasons are quoted 

 from the Samalkota Farm reports. 



1915-16 : ■' The rainfall recorded for the year was well above the average. 

 The south-west monsoon was late in breaking, the first really heavy shower 



was not received till the 22nd June and the canals were late in filling 



The season throughout the south-west monsoon was characterized by short 

 spells of rainy weather, followed by considerably longer spells (sometimes of 

 more than a fortnight) of dry weather. The north-east monsoon rains were 

 good and during the whole of November were fairly steady " 



1916-17 : " The rainfall recorded during the year was well above the 

 average. The south-west monsoon was very early in breaking, the month 

 of June opened with very heavy showers, and the canals were full unexpec- 

 tedly early The season throughout the monsoon period was charac- 

 terized by regular and evenly distributed showers and want of rain was never 

 felt. The heavy north-east monsoon rains in October, amounting to 11 inches, 



seriously interfered with the harvesting of paddy The harvest of the 



longer varieties was also caught in the heavy fall in the latter part of November." 



Here we see that although in each year the rainfall was " well above the 

 average," its distribution was very different in the two seasons. The first 

 year was distinctly bad in its first half and good in its second, while the reverse 

 was the case in the second, with its floods towards the end of the year. And 

 these differences in the seasons are permanently engraved on the joint curves 

 obtained. The character of the season was of such a nature that it obliterated 

 the usual characteristic growth of the locality as well as any individual differ- 

 ences in these four canes themselves. 



But, while this is so clearly shown in the four cane varieties mentioned 

 above, there is little trace of it in the other two, namely Baroukha and Chynia. 

 These canes appear to have been little affected by the early drought of 1915-16 

 and, indeed, their curves are characterized by excessive growth in the early 

 part of the year, as if they were accustomed, or at any rate indift'erent, to 

 drought conditions in their early stages. The curves of all six varieties were 

 in close agreement in 1916-17. We have thus a case in which the character 

 of the individual may override that of the season. 



