26 The Rothamsted Wheat Experiments. 



seasons respectively is of considerable interest. The record 

 for the season 1862-3 is as follows : October, unusually warm, 

 but with a good deal of wind and rain ; November, cold, 

 comparatively little rain ; December to February, unusually 

 mild, with a fair amount of rain in December and January, 

 and but little in February; March, upon the whole, mild, 

 with but little rain, and wheat showing unusually forward 

 growth ; April, very dry and warm ; May brought some 

 refreshing rains, but temperature was occasionally extremely 

 low, and pretty nearly throughout rather below the average, 

 with frequent storms of wind ; June, with temperature rather 

 below the average, and with a good deal of rain, whi'-h, 

 though needed, was so heavy as to lay the most forward and 

 bulky crops ; July brought much less rain than usual, with 

 moderately high day but low night temperatures, and some 

 sharp night frosts ; August, with only moderate tempera- 

 tures, but less rain than usual, was, upon the whole, favour- 

 able ripening anu harvesting weather ; September was marked 

 by a good deal of rain and rather low temperatures. In June 

 the condition of the atmosphere as to moisture was about the 

 average for that month, but in July, August, and September 

 both the actual amount and the degree of humidity were 

 below the average. The extraordinary yield of the harvest of 

 1863 would appear to have been due to the almost unchecked 

 growth, from the first appearance of the plant above ground 

 up to the time of harvest, rather than to any extraordinary 

 characteristics of season at any one or more particular periods. 

 With the extremely mild winter and early spring, the plant 

 came early forward, and the rains, though sparing upon the 

 whole, came when needed ; whilst, though the temperature of 

 the summer was seldom high, it was (excepting the night 

 frosts of July) generally sufficient, and the condition of 

 atmosphere otherwise favourable, so that the whole season 

 contributed to a lengthened and almost unbroken course of 

 gradual accumulation. The harvests of 1854 and 1857, in 

 order, came nearest that of 1863 in total produce. 



