250 
this latter kind. The excessive rains of autumn drowned the wheat 
and produced disastrous inundations. Up to that time we perceived 
the influence of the hght, which strengthens the young shoots and 
gives them a real progress, but which may be promptly effaced by the 
subsequent bad weather. 
Summary from March to July. 
1873-74. | 1875-76. | 1874-75. | 1876-77. | 1872-73. 
PR ait al Pee sere ee ap ee ae enn Oe ee eee oe oad 166 197 207 320 307 
IVA DOLAtiON ee. an sees es eae 2 Bo eee 582 558 508 448 5387 
Derrees of heats = 2 s.28 soso ce eee Se 2,096 1,995 2,053 2,007 2,029 
Heprocsioflight)s-- ses. sok he ea oe eee eee 6,621 6, 450 6,249 6,008 6,201 
In the second period the light is the element which appears to be 
of the least importance.- Its variations do not correspond to the 
value of harvest attributed to each year. It is not the same with the 
rainfall, which increases regularly in proportion as the harvest 
becomes less favorable. The two last years, 1877 and 1873, differ little 
from each other in general characteristics. 
Experience shows that we may water grain planted in pots or in 
free earth every day and only increase the quantity and quality of 
their product instead of diminishing them. It is not, therefore, that 
rain water in itself is injurious—far. from it; but rainfall brings with 
it cloudy weather, which diminishes the light. We see in fact that 
the sum of the actinometric degrees decreases regularly in proportion 
to the increase in the value of the crop year, except in the case of the 
last year, 1873, which only descended to this rank in consequence of 
the meteorological accidents of the autumn. In reality 1873 would 
have been a more favorable year for the crops than 1877 if the autumn 
had not been so exceptionally unfavorable. The crop of 1877 only 
recovered its value, because of the abundance of the wheat stalks. 
Thus we see that it is in vain that the season be favorable as regards 
weather if the heads of the grain are scarce. 
Résumés from May to September. 
1873-74. | 1875-76. | 1874-75. | 1876-77. | 1872-73. 
Rainfall. 250 5-24 a2. estes ee ee eae ee ee eae 227 247 295 281 318 
HWVapOLatlONie-=.2 sesh =ssee- ase eae = eee ee eee 612 575 439 468 543 
Merreesiotihea tice. eee saaat sees ee oe eee 2,629 2,548 2,709 2,494 2,544 
Degrees of light= <2 -- 2-4 sses25 to2 22 aes 6, 854 6, 602 6,448 6, 347 6, 807 
This third period relates to the wine crop. During this period, as 
in the others, heat seems to play only a very secondary part for the 
same country. There would not be the same difference in the nature 
of the product from one country to another. On the contrary, the 
quantity of light decreases regularly from the first or best crop to 
the year before the last or poorest crop. The last year, on the 
other hand, which was so bad at the beginning, recovered in a most 
extraordinary manner at the end, and as regards the quality of the 
ee 
