: Chapter XII.? 
RELATIONS OF SPECIAL CROPS TO SPECIAL FEATURES OF 
CLIMATE AND OTHER INFLUENCES. 
The preceding chapter on phenology has given several illustrations 
of the influence of the date of planting upon the dates of the resulting 
phases and on the amounts of the harvest for special plants. The exper- 
iments at experiment stations now about to be quoted were under- 
taken with a view to the further direct elucidation of this relation. 
From such experiments we obtain definite data by which to decide as 
to the best date for planting and the probable resulting crop both in 
normal and abnormal seasons. We see to what extent the seed and 
plant have acquired habits suitable to the prevailing climate, and 
furthermore, what climatic influences the plants were not able to 
withstand when the seeds were planted too early or too late. It is, 
of course, of prime importance in each case to know where the seeds 
were grown or to what climate they were acclimatized before being 
planted at the experiment station. 
By measuring the weight and nutritious value of a sample of a 
crop at various stages of development we are able to form tables 
showing the relation of the mature ultimate harvest to the immature 
plant, and this relation is found to be sufficiently constant to justify 
one in predicting the harvest per acre from its condition on any given 
day several months before harvesting. Examples of this process have 
already been given and others now follow. 
BEETS AND POTATOES. 
DATE OF PLANTING. 
Briem finds the crops of beets and potatoes that have become accli- 
matized in Austria-Hungary vary with date of planting, as given in 
the table following. 
aA chapter on “ Forests and climate,’ which was originally intended to pre- 
cede this chapter, is omitted. 
(309) 
