Precipita- 

 tion. 



.186 



on an average, on June loth and the first autumn frost August 27th; thus 

 there are only 72 frostless days at this point. In the neighborhood of Stock- 

 holm there are 4^ months without frost, while in Skane early night frosts have 

 not to be reckoned with. The damaging power of frost depends more upon 

 the condition of the crop at the time when it occurs than upon the actual 

 degree. In the North, vegetation does not begin until June by which time 

 there is practically no night, and therefore no frosts. The vegetation period 

 at this point, however, only lasts for about 100 days so that early maturing 

 sorts are required. 



The average precipitation for all Sweden is 501 m.m (19.73"), southern 

 Sweden obtaining considerably the greatest amount. Thus at Lund the 

 average is 553 m.m. 9 % of which is snow; at Stockholm 482 m.m. and at 

 Haparanda 401 m.m., 36% of which is snow. 



Photo by L. H. N. 



FIG. LXII. Showing sheaves of barley put up on stakes to dry after having suffered from 

 three weeks of almost continuous rain. 



The east coast receives considerably less rain than does the West, so 

 that dry weather in the former district during spring and early summer is 

 not uncommon. The rainy period commonly occurs in Sweden during grain 

 harvest, a fact which renders the satisfactory handling of crops very difficult. 



The precipitation in Sweden is variable locally. Thus the monthly 

 precipitation at any one station may vary from zero to 300 m.m. Not 

 infrequently, droughts of several weeks' duration are followed by wet periods 

 of about the same length. 



The maximum precipitation occurs during the latter part of summer 

 in most districts, although in Skane a secondary maximum is reached in 

 July or August. From the end of winter to early summer there is very little 

 precipitation. 



