182 Our Climate and our Wheat-Crops. 
April there was a considerable deficiency, and in all only half 
the average fall, the total deficiency for the six months amount- 
ing to about 5^ inches. In May there was a considerable excess 
of rain, which was very beneficial to the crops after the long 
dry period. There was again a considerable deficiency in June 
and July, but an excess in August. As to temperature, May, 
June, and July were all below the average ; and August only 
average. Of this season Tooke and Newmarch say — that May 
was cold and wet, June cold and ungenial, with less sun than 
usual, July not one day of summer-heat ; harvest ten days or 
a fortnight later than usual. And of the crop they say — the 
largest yield per acre that has been known for years, the largest 
since 1834. Our own estimate of the crop over the United 
Kingdom was 35| bushels, reckoned at 61 lbs. per bushel, the 
average of sixteen years being 28j bushels. 
Thus, the crop of 1854, which was very abundant both in corn 
and straw, was, after a severe winter period, grown under higher 
than average temperatures during the earlier, but lower during 
the later, periods of growth ; and with much less than the average 
fall of rain in every month from seed-time to harvest, excepting 
in May and August. 
1857. — This was a season of much more than average pro- 
ductiveness of corn, but of only about average growth of straw, 
and it was characterised as follows : — The mean temperature of 
each of the six months, from November to April inclusive, 
varied little from the average ; but May was 1*5, June 3*6, July 
2*9, and August 4*9 degrees warmer than the average. There had 
been much less than the average fall of rain in October 1856, 
and in each of the seven months from November to May inclusive 
there was a considerable deficiency of rain, excepting in January, 
when there was an excess. The total deficiency during the 
seven months from seed-time to the end of May was about 
5^ inches. In June there was rather more than average, in 
July much less, but in August some excess. 
Thus, this heavy corn- but not heavy straw-crop was obtained 
under the influence of about average winter and early spring, 
but high summer temperatures ; and, as in other cases of high 
productiveness, there was here again much less than the average 
fall of rain from seed-time to harvest, the only months of any 
excess being January, June, and August. 
1863. — The harvest of 1863, not only yielded in our own 
experimental wheat-field the most abundant crop since the com- 
mencement of the experiments in 1843-4, but it probably gave the 
highest average produce per acre over the country at large since 
1834. With the exception of November (1862), which was un- 
usually cold, every month from seed-time to the end of April was 
warmer than the average. The excess was in December 4*4, in 
