Characteristics of Noteworthy Seasons. 71 



obtained with only fairly average or even under average 

 summer conditions. But there can be little doubt that, 

 when high summer temperatures, without excess of rain, do 

 succeed upon the favourable conditions of early growth and of 

 plant just mentioned, the proportion of grain yielded by the 

 bulky crop will be the greater. The less bulky, and some- 

 what less abundant in grain, but still high-yielding crops 

 have, on the other hand, generally had less favourable 

 conditions for winter root development, and for early growth 

 in spring, but have been developed under the influence of 

 considerably higher than average summer temperature, with, 

 at the same time, deficiency of rain almost throughout, and a 

 considerable deficiency during the summer months. 



The seasons of unusually deficient wheat crops have been 

 characterised by severe, or at any rate very changeable, 

 winter and spring conditions, with, at the same time, 

 generally an excess of rain during these periods, frequently 

 saturating the soil, causing much drainage, and discouraging 

 root development and early growth in spring. But the more 

 striking characteristic of the bad seasons is a great deficiency 

 of average temperature, and especially a great excess of rain, 

 from the period of active above-ground growth until harvest. 

 The crop of 1816, however, suffered more from low tempera- 

 ture than from excess of rain, and that of 1879 much more 

 from an excess of rain than from low temperature until mid- 

 autumri, after which 1816 continued wet, and 1879 became 

 dry. It would appear that any defect of our climate in appro- 

 priateness for the production of full and well-matured wheat 

 crops is more connected with an excess of rain, and conse- 

 quent wetness of soil and humidity of atmosphere, than with 

 any deficiency of average summer temperature. 



A few more words, in conclusion, respecting the ne\er-to- 

 be^forgotten season of 1879. In that year the wheat plant, 

 which luxuriates in a comparatively dry soil and climate, 

 passed its whole existence under exactly opposite conditions, 

 and the result was only what might have been expected. 



