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 varv with date of planting, as given in 

 the table following. 



a A chapter on " Forests and climate." which was originally intended to pre- 

 cede this chapter, is omitted. 



(309) 



