Our Climate and our Wheat Crops. 205 
plot 15 they were not applied until the spring. For the five crops, 
Irom 1873 to 1877 inclusive, this arrangement was continued. It 
happened that lour out of the five seasons were wetter than the 
average, and especially during the winter months. The conse- 
sequence was that, in the two wettest seasons the result was very 
much against the autumn sowing ; in two less excessively wet 
ones it was about equal ; and, in the season of 1874 alone, the 
winter of which was dry, it was very decidedly in favour of 
autumn sowing. After the harvest of 1877, therefore, it was 
decided that plot 7, and all the other plots which had hitherto 
received ammonia-salts in the autumn, should not receive them 
until the spring, and that, for comparison with plot 7, plot 15 
should now receive its ammonia-salts in the autumn. 
The following Table (X.) shows the bushels of corn, and the 
weight of straw, and of total produce, obtained in each of the 
seven years, from 1873 to 1879 inclusive, by autumn sowing, 
and by spring sowing, respectively, of the ammonia-salts. 
Table X. 
Dates of Sowing 
AmtuoDia-salts. 
Corn, Straw, and Total Produce per Acre. 
Seasoks. 
Corn. 
Straw. 
Total Produce. 
Autumn. 
Spring. 
Autumn 
Sown. 
Spring 
Sown. 
Autumn 
Sown. 
1 
Spring 
Sown. 
Autumn 
Sown. 
Spring 
Sown. 
1873 
1874 
1875 
1876 
1877 
1878 
1879 
Oct. 18 
„ 28 
„ 23 
,. 30 
„ 17 
Nov. 3 
Oct. 15 
Mar. 25 
„ 19 
„ 23 
„ 24 
Apr. 11 
Mar. 14 
„ 10 
Bushels. 
22 
39i 
251 
23J 
191 
22| 
5i 
Bushels. 
325 
29| 
251 
25J 
33| 
311 
161 
lbs. 
2021 
4645 
3422 
; 2212 
! 1835 
3071 
906 
lbs. 
3079 
2776 
3204 
2428 
2788 
4952 
3012 
lbs. 
3344 
7094 
5110 
3793 
3048 
4486 
I 1275 
lbs. 
5031 
4588 
4'J15 
4083 
4795 
7017 
40G3 
Averages 
.. ' 22^ 
27i 
2587 
3177 
4021 
4927 
It will be observed that, in 1874 alone, was the result decidedly 
in favour of autumn sowing. In 1873, 1877, 1878, and 1879, 
it was decidedly against autumn sowing ; whilst, in 1875 and 
1876, the difference was immaterial. 
In Table XI. (page 206) is shown : — 
1. The increase or diminution of produce by spring sowing. 
2. The rainfall in each season, from the date of autumn sow- 
ing to that of spring sowing, and from that of spring sowing to 
the end of June, as measured by the large gauge at Rothamsted. 
3. The amount of drainage passing through 60 inches of soil 
in the " drain-gauge " during the same periods. 
As already said, we have no means of gauging the amount 
