260 THE SMALL GRAINS 



maturity, interferes with protein production in the kernel, 

 and thereby indirectly softens it, causes an overproduction 

 of starch, weakens the straw, and produces conditions 

 favorable for the attacks of various fungus pests (556, 

 577). In humid areas, it is not so much an excess of 

 rainfall that causes an inferior quality of kernel as the 

 great humidity and lack of sunshine. Indeed the rainfall 

 of the growing season, as before stated, may be as much 

 or more in the drier areas. Edmond Gain (1892, p. 890) 

 has well stated the law in regard to this matter, that 

 " Ripening is promoted in a dry air and a humid soil, 

 but is retarded in a humid air and a dry soil." It is 

 commonly admitted in respect to many crops, that the 

 quality of the fruit or grain is injured by excessive 

 humidity, but the fact is especially important for those 

 crops which are characterized by a large proportion of 

 protein or sugar in the fruit or kernel. 



276. Comparative humidity of prairie and forest regions. 

 - In the following table, also taken from the author's 

 paper above cited, are given the absolute and relative 

 humidity for several points in east Russia and the Crimea, 

 and localities in the Great Plains, in contrast with similar 

 data for the three points in the humid area already men- 

 tioned. The absolute humidity is given in the form of 

 vapor pressure, and therefore stated in inches. The 

 average total number of clear days in June, July, and 

 August is also given for as many of the localities as pos- 

 sible. 



From the table it is seen that the humidity for the 

 summer months in the east Russian region corresponds 

 very well with that of the semi-arid Great Plains, but is 

 quite low compared with that of the three points in the 

 humid area of the eastern United States. The mean 



