Experimental Plots at Rothamsted, from 1864 to 1883. 407 
siderable deficiency of rain. There were about 10 days of very 
warm weather in the middle of December, but the beginning 
and end of the month were cold ; the latter extremely so, with a 
good deal of snow and cold wind ; the average for the month 
was 5 or 6 degrees below the average for 99 years ; and the rain 
and melted snow indicated a considerable excess of fall. January 
1871, with the exception of a few days in the middle of the 
month, was cold ; and at the beginning, and for nearly a fort- 
night at the end, the weather was extremely severe. From early 
in February until the middle of March the weather was very 
mild, but from thence to the end of the month the temperature 
was very variable. There was a full amount of rain (or snow) in 
January, but a deficiency in both February and March ; though 
the melting of the snows of January, succeeded by frequent 
rains early in February, caused floods in many parts. April, 
May, and June were — with the exception of the latter half of 
April, which was warm, with a good deal of south-west wind and 
rain — unusually cold, with a great deal of east or north wind, or 
some compound of the t wo ; and there was an excess of rain 
in April and June but a deficiency in May ; June especially 
being very unseasonably cold and wet. July, excepting about a 
week after the middle of the month, was cold, with a con- 
siderable excess of rain ; but, from early in August to about the 
middle of September, there was a period of six weeks of warm 
and genial weather, from which time till the end of September, 
it was again very cold, wet, and stormy. August was not only 
warm, but there was very little rain, whilst in September there 
was, towards the end of the month, a great excess of rain. The 
degree of humidity of the air was high in April and June, rather • 
high in July, rather low in May, very low in August, and low 
in September. 
The autumn of 1870 was thus changeable as to temperature, 
being upon the whole, cold ; wet prevailed during the first half 
of September, and also of October, but afterwards the weather 
was comparatively dry and favourable for field work. The 
greater part of the winter was extremely severe, with a good • 
deal of snow and very cold winds ; the remainder was mild 
and very wet, retarding field work and spring sowing. Winter 
corn was very backward, and in many cases injured, pastures 
were bare, and vegetables very scarce. The hard winter had, 
however, killed many insects, and March was favourable for 
field work and sowing ; but, with the exception of the latter 
half of April, the remainder of the spring was cold and back- 
ward. The rest of the active growing period, excepting one or 
two intervals of short duration, was cold, bleak, and very wet. 
In the greater part of England, however, August and the early 
YOL. XX. — S. S. 2 E 
