CULTIVATION. 248 
imphee include those varieties requiring four and a half 
months, and others again which ripen in two and a half 
and three months only. 
This is a very essential fact to be remembered in order 
to adapt in all cases the variety to the peculiar character 
of the locality; and I believe that no explanation, how- 
ever lengthy, could more accurately define the climatic 
range of the imphee than simply classing it with maize 
in this respect. 
In Northern Europe, and in numerous other parts of 
the world, no kind of maize can be profitably cultivated 
but those which ripen their seed within ninety days 
from planting; and it will be found that in all such 
localities no other variety of imphee can be successfully 
employed but such as ripen their juices within the same 
short period. But what truly enormous range does this 
climatic adaptation give us! It comprises, in fact, every 
country of the earth that can afford three months of hot 
summer weather. It does not. even exclude Canada or 
Russia. 
But as we draw nearer and nearer to the equator, the 
gradual lengthening of the summer season, until indeed 
winter is unknown, affords a longer and longer growing 
time, so that at last, instead of one crop, we can obtain 
two, three, ay, and even four crops in one year. 
It is evident, likewise, that the longer the summer or 
warm weather extends, the greater scope exists for the 
cultivation of the larger and more productive varieties 
that require a longer time for their perfect development. 
The small measure of temporary success which is said 
to have attended the attempts made in 1785, by Signo1 
