CLIMATE AND PLANT GROWTH. 



45 



full maturity/ In the case of Experimental Series No. 1, in which 

 the standard plants were started simultaneously in all types as soon 

 as the temperature favored growth in the highest type, wheat heads 

 filled well in the aspen-fir type but killing frosts occurred before the 

 caryopsis hardened thoroughly; in the type above, growth was ar- 

 rested when the heads were still in a developmental stage. Records 

 of these plant specimens, supplemented by those of the late planted 

 batteries (Experimental Series No. 2) afforded data as to the relative 

 water requirements of plants in different stages of development. 

 Because of the difference in age of the plants in the early planted 

 and later planted batteries, the two sets of specimens were really sub- 

 jected to different environmental conditions, for it is well Imown 

 that the same weather factors do not affect plants in different stages 

 of development in the same way. For this reason the water require- 

 ments of the two sets of plants may not be entirely comparable. 



For the purpose of comparisons between the water requirements 

 of the entire tops of wheat and brome-grass specimens, heads in- 

 cluded, and tops without the heads, the dry matter of the specimens 

 with and without heads was recorded and the water requirements of 

 each determined. The results are summarized in Table 13. 



Table 13. — Relation of water requirements of wheat and brome grass, to effective 

 temperatures in climatic types. 



AVHEAT (EXPERIMENTAL SERIES No. 1). 



Types. 



Water requirement 



Per cent of 



per unit dry weight. 



difference 







between 



water 











require- 





' 



ments 



Witliout 



Including 



- without 



heads. 



heads. 



heads and 

 with 

 heads. 



Grams. 



Grams. 





857 



626 



37 



358 



288 



24 



355 



300 



18 



Tempera- 

 ture sum- 

 mation 

 above 

 40° F. 



Oalc-brush . 

 Aspen-flr. .. 

 Spruce-fir . . 



1,789 



1,404 



991 



WHEAT (EXPERIMENTAL SERIES NO. 2). 



Oak-brush. 

 Aspen-flr. . . 

 Spruce-flr . . 



600 



504 



19 



407 



354 



15 



391 



391 



00 



1,528 



1,132 



685 



BROME GRASS (EXPERIMENTAL SERIES No. 1). 



Oak-brush . 

 Aspen-fir... 

 Spruce-fir . . 



1,303 



803 



62 



736 



516 



43 



853 



756 



14 



1,789 



1,404 



991 



The above values, platted in figures 24, 25, and 26, exhibit a 

 gradual falling off from the lowest to the highest station in the ratio 



^ Owing to the early maturing qualities of mountain brome grass, this species more 

 nearly reached maturity in all types than did the cultiyated plants, 



