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 light, which strengthens the young shoots and 

 gives them a real progress, but which may be promptly effaced by the 

 subsequent bad weather. 



SuniDiary from March to July. 



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 in.stead of diminishing them. It is not, therefore, that 

 rain water in itself is injurious — far from it : but rainfall brings with 

 it cloudy weather, Avhich 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. 



Resumes from May to September. 



Rainfall. 



Evaporation 



Degrees of heat. 

 Degrees of light 



612 

 2,629 

 6,854 



2,709 

 6,448 



468 

 2,494 

 6,347 



318 



543 



3,544 



This third period relates to the wine crop. Diri'ing 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 l)efore 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 



