2 BULLETIN 162, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Most fruits mentioned in this paper have been growing under 

 observation for eight years. While this period is too short to permit 

 definite conclusions in every case, it has seemed best to publish the 

 information so far obtained, in order to meet the numerous inquiries 

 received concerning this phase of the work of the San Antonio Field 

 Station. 



CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF THE REGION. 



While the winters of San Antonio are mild, the occasional low 

 temperatures prevent the growing of many of the more tender fruits. 

 The severity of the winter climate is not due wholly to the low tem- 

 peratures, but in a large measure to the suddenness of the changes, 

 which often cause an extremely wide range of temperature in a few 

 hours. Many of the northers which bring the temperature down to 

 a few degrees below freezing are preceded by periods of warm, sum- 

 merlike weather that start the plants into growth and put them in 

 the worst possible condition to withstand the cold. The minimum 

 temperature does not ordinarily go much below 15° F., as is shown 

 in Table I. 



Table I. — Absolute minimum 



temperatures at San Antonio 

 inclusive. 1 



Tex., 1892 to 1913, 



Year. 



Temper- 

 ature. 



Year. 



Temper- 

 ature. 



Year. 



Temper- 

 ature. 



1892 



°F. 

 19 

 26 



It 



27 

 18 

 20 



4 



1900. 

 1901. 

 1902. 

 1903. 

 1904. 

 1905. 

 1906. 

 1907. 





°F. 

 19 

 15 

 26 

 19 

 22 

 13 

 24 

 27 



1908. 

 1909. 

 1910. 

 1911. 

 1912. 

 1913. 





°F. 

 18 



1893 







17 



1894 







12 



1895 







13 



1896 







16 



1897 







20 



1898 





Mean minimum. 





1899 





18 









1 The temperatures for the years 1892 to 1906, inclusive, are taken from the records of the U.S. Weather 

 Bureau, and those for the years 1907 to 1913, inclusive, from the records of the San Antonio Experiment 

 Farm. 



The annual rainfall at San Antonio has averaged about 26 inches 

 for the past 20 years. (Fig. 1.) This, if well distributed, should 

 be ample for most fruit trees, and in ordinary seasons should 

 mature a fruit crop, particularly if the trees are planted somewhat 

 farther apart than is now customary and the orchards given good care 

 and culture. In fact, the writers are convinced that the rainfall is 

 not the chief limiting factor in growing such fruits as peaches and 

 plums where the orchard receives proper care, although it must be 

 expected that seasons will occur when the fruit crop will suffer because 

 of insufficient rainfall. 



Table II gives the rainfall at the experiment farm for the years 

 1907 to 1913, inclusive. A comparison of these figures with the 



