Our Climate and our Wheat-Crops. 
183 
January 5'2, in February 3"4,in March 2-8, and in April 3 dogrees. 
In October (1862) there had been a considerable excess of rain ; 
but from that time to the end of May there was a considerable 
deficiency in every month excepting January, when there was 
an excess. The total deficiency in the seven months from 
November to May inclusive was more than 5 inches compared 
with the average. Thus, after an excess of rain in October, the 
winter and spring were not only unusually warm, but unusually 
■dry, bringing the plant very early forward. May showed, how- 
ever, rather lower, and June, July, and August only about, or 
but little higher than average temperatures. In June there was 
a considerable excess of rain, which, coming after such a long 
dry period, much aided growth, though it was sometimes so 
heavy as to lay the most forward and bulky crops. July and 
August were, on the other hand, considerably deficient in rain. 
To sum up : — The conditions of season which gave the most 
abundant produce of both grain and straw throughout the thirty-six 
years of our experiments, and also much higher than average 
weight per bushel of grain, was characterised by an extremely 
mild winter and early spring, with much less than the average 
fall of rain during that period. The plant was thus brought 
early forward. Then came, in the early summer, a considerable 
amount of rain, after which there was a deficiency up to harvest. 
The temperature was only about the average in June and July, 
conducing to continued luxuriance rather than to early matura- 
tion ; whilst August, the harvest month, was both warmer and 
drier than usual. The conditions were, therefore, those of a 
lengthened and almost unbroken course of gradual accumulation, 
with finally a favourable ripening period. 
1864. — As has been seen, the crop of 1863 was probably the 
most abundant, both in corn and straw, of any among the thirty- 
six years of our observations — indeed the most abundant since 
1834 ; and that of 1864, immediately succeeding it, is estimated 
to be only second to it in bulk and yield. October 1863 had 
been both warmer and drier than usual. Five out of the seven 
months, from November to May (1864) inclusive, were warmer 
than the average. The exceptions were January, which was 
only average, and February, which was 2'7 below average. 
With these prevailing higher than average temperatures during 
the winter and spring, there were nearly 4 inches less than the 
average fall of rain from seed-time to the end of May. The only 
month in which there Avas an excess was March, whilst in May 
there was only the average fall. June was rather below, July 
but little above, and August again rather below the average as 
to temperature ; whilst in each of these three months there was 
much less than the average fall of rain. 
Here again, then, the very large crop was produced under the 
