highest weekly maximum temperatures were 38 C in June I978, and 36°G in 

 July 1979 (Figs. 1 auid 2). The growing period of the second crops in 

 all cropping patterns coincided with high rainfall and temperature. 



Crop duration . Using average data for 2 years, the longest 

 cropping duration was 322 days in cropping pattern HM-HM-M while the 

 shortest duration of 300 days was observed in cropping patterns LM-IM-LM 

 and HM-LM-MM (Table 3). The interval between crops was longest (68 days) 

 with cropping pattern LM-Uyi-LM and shortest (^44 days) with HM-HM-HM. 

 In general, crops grown during winter had prolonged growing periods. 

 This prolonged growing period delayed the planting of second crops in 

 cropping patterns HM-HM-HM, HM-MM-IM, and HM-LM-MM. 



Marketable yields . In general, marketable yields of vegetables 

 were affected by planting dates (Table k) . Cropping patterns involving 

 bulb onion resulted in late planting and reduced yields of second crops. 

 For example, yields of pole bean and squash following bulb onion were 

 low because these crops were planted in June when hair'/esting coincided 

 with high rainfall and temperature. A difference of two to four weeks 

 in planting dates reduced marketable yields of these crops compared 

 to normal spring plamting. 



Cropping patterns Involving large crop residues also delayed 

 planting of succeeding crops. Bulb onion produced lower yield when 

 planted after southern pea wtiere large crop residue remained in the 

 soil than onion planted after collard and mustard. James (88) observed 

 that onion planted after sweet corn and vetcn had reduced grovrbh and 

 died, whereas onion following spinach and beet produced satisfactory 

 growth. 



