332 
NEW YORK. 
Prof. C. S. Plumb states, as the result of a research made by him- 
self during the summer of 1886 at the New York Agricultural 
Experiment Station, on the growth of maize and its dependence upon 
climate, the following conclusions: 
(1) That maize makes a positive daily growth upward from the 
appearance of the plant above ground till the plant has reached its 
maximum height. 
(2) That the variation in the development of the plant from day 
to day and week to week is not controlled by meteorological condi- 
tions, for of two plants that one which is the most backward at the 
beginning of the season may eventually become the stronger, larger, 
and more vigorous of the two. 
The measures on which these conclusions are based (see Agr. Sci., 
Vol. III, p. 1) were made day by day upon seven individual plants, 
and the averages are given in the following table; the date of plant- 
ing was May 21, 1886, and the dates of sprouting extended from May 
31 for plant No. 1 to June 4 for plant No, 7. 
Sums for preced: 
i days. 
rae grate Sunshine 
Date of observation. & Patel | a dura- | Rainfall. 
of 7 Air Soil Para 
plants. | temper- | temper- one 
atures. | atures. 
Inches. 17, oun Days. Inches. 
PB UL TRG hare ep eee pape et ORs RIOR Aba aces es 3 452 517 28 0.76 
NUTR Al coe aie ce ers Meee re Baty eae A el ee Oe 8 475 572 60 0 
JUNE ROE oe Se eee a are beet OMe Deere eee a 14 494 569 50 0 
A Iku rae} 7 et ars pear, Ay ee ee a ee 23 466 553 46 -40 
SPUR yA Bie Neva « See, cpm EN La 35 492 658 84 .0 
SL ye es ee ae ee eee 41 523 597 50 ae 
AL Weal Bre Sa ee 0 ae Sey ER ih ie aces ae ae ae 47 464 610 53 a3 
MLV 20) oe ae RE ne para eels ean a epee 61 472 602 50 4.93 
Totals ee oe ese eee oe see ee eee | eee 3,838 | 4,678 421 7.58 
The unsteadiness of the growth is very notable. There was a 
steady increase up to July 4 and then a drop for fourteen days, but 
growing more rapidly during the last period. When the greatest 
growth was made in the eighth or last period, the total air and 
soil temperatures were less than in the fifth period, when great 
growth was also made. During this last period of greatest growth 
the rainfall was large, while during the previous period of great 
growth the rainfall was zero. Evidently it needs a peculiar combi- 
nation of rainfall, temperature, and sunshine to bring about the 
rapid growth. According to Frear, the very rapid growth of plants 
observed immediately after rainfall is largely due to a simple expan- 
sion of the cells with water. 
Although a soil gains some nitrogen from the air as brought down 
