Seasons of High and Low Produce compared. 69 



colder than the average, and in two there were warmer and 

 colder months, with about average mean temperatures. As 

 to rainfall, in one out of the six years there were two of the 

 three months, in four there was only one of the three, and in 

 the other there was no month, with an excess of rain. In 

 only one of the six years was the total rain of the three 

 months over the average; though in three of the six seasons 

 there was an excess in August. It may be added that the 

 average mean temperature of these six seasons was higher than 

 that of one hundred and eight years (1771-1878) in every 

 month of the twelve ; but the excess was very much greater in 

 the months prior to May, than in May and afterwards. Upon 

 the whole, then, these seasons of highest productiveness were 

 characterised by higher than average temperatures during 

 most of the winter and the early spring. Some were consi- 

 derably warmer during the summer also, but the majority 

 were characterised by but little higher, or even lower, than 

 average temperatures in the summer. There was also a 

 prevailing deficiency of rain in the winter and spring, but a 

 less marked deficiency in the summer. 



In the second class of seasons, those of high produce of 

 grain, but of small produce of straw, and therefore of com- 

 paratively small total produce, the distribution of the excess 

 of temperature is exactly the opposite of that observed in the 

 case of the seasons of heaviest gross produce. The result 

 was associated with little more than fairly average condi- 

 tions as to temperature during the early stages of develop- 

 ment of the plant, but with a considerable excess during the 

 period of active above-ground growth, and of maturation. 

 There is, at the same time, though a considerable total 

 deficiency of rain, a much more marked deficiency during 

 the periods of more active above-ground growth, and of 

 ripening, than during the earlier stages. 



In the third class of seasons, those of unusually low 

 produce, the averages show an actual deficiency of tempera- 

 ture in ten months out of the twelve ; and in only one from 



