II. Soils and Climate 



C^'LIMATE is the dominant factor in soil formation. Climate, acting prim- 

 * arily through temperature and precipitation, largely determines the 

 kinds of trees and other plants which occur in any area. Losses of plant 

 nutrients by leaching and erosion are also determined by climate. 



The climate of New Hampshire is influenced by many factors, including: 

 (1) the northerly latitude (distance from the equator) ; (2) the elevation; 

 (3) the nearness to the Atlantic Ocean; and (4) the direction of the 

 prevailing winds. 



Due to differences in climate, the soils in the northern part of New 

 Hampshiie and at high elevations in the central and southern part of the 

 State have a greater thickness of organic matter on the surface than do 

 those in the southern lowlands. The greater accumulation of organic matter 

 in the highlands is not due to more being produced but to the better pre- 

 serving action of cool temperatures. Soils in the highlands are also more 

 highly leached in the surface layers because of more organic acids pro- 

 duced by the decay of strongly acid organic matter and because of more 

 precipitation. 



Precipitation 



Precipitation in New Hampshire on the average comes one day in three, 

 but in the mountains one day in two. This frequency seems to be very great 

 but it must be remembered that a day of precipitation is defined by the 

 U. S. Weather Bureau as a day in which at least 0.01 of an inch falls. It is 

 also well to note that snowfall is considered as precipitation and that on 

 the average, ten inches of snowfall is equal to one inch of rain. 



The distribution of precipitation in New Hampshire is considered as 

 desirable for plant growth as any place in the world, averaging three to 

 four inches each month in the year. For the best growth of a farm crop 

 such as corn, however, the desirable summer rainfall, when compared with 

 the rainfall at Concord, New Hampshire, is as follows: 



Table 1. Estimated Deficiency of Summer Rainfall for Corn at Concord, New Hampshire 



Month 



Average Rainfall 



at Concord, N. H. 



(inches) 



Desirable Rainfall 

 for Corn 

 (inches) 1 



Deficiency 

 for Corn 

 (inches) 



May 

 June 

 July 

 August 



Total 



2.8 

 3.2 

 3.5 

 3.3 



12.8 



4.0 

 5.0 

 8.0 

 5.0 



22.0 



1.2 

 1.8 

 4.5 

 1.7 



9.2 



1 Ohio Farm and Howe Research, May-June, 1953. 



These data show that the total summer precipitation at Concord aver- 

 ages 12.8 inches, but that corn needs 22.0 inches. This is a moisture deficit 



10 



