216 
The Past Agricultural Year. 
where. But these broad features will necessarily be modified by 
the fact that the date of the rainfall makes all the difference 
to the crops. This is so obvious to every agriculturist, that I 
need say no more respecting it. 
" Observations respecting the amount of sunshine made in a 
manufacturing locality like Greenwich are necessarily impaired 
by the prevalence of smoke ; but remembering and making full 
allowance for that fact, and remembering also that in summer 
the sun is above the horizon IG hours per diem, in winter 
8 hours per diem, and on the average of the whole year 12 hours 
per diem, the following table shows a deficiency almost greater 
than seems credible." 
Averafje Daily Duration of Sumhine at Greenwich. 
Hrs. 
Min. 
Hrs. Min. 
November, 1878 
.. 1 
24 
May, 1879 
4 
24 
December, 1878 
.. 0 
30 
June, 1879 
4 
42 
January, 1879 
.. 0 
30 
July, 1879 
3 
12 
February, 1879 
.. 1 
6 
August, 1879 .. 
4 
30 
March, 1879 
.. 2 
54 
September, 1879.. 
3 
54 
April, 1879 
.. 2 
30 
October, 1879 .. 
2 
12 
Average per diem, 2 hours 39 minutes sunshine. 
„ „ 9 hours 21 minutes cloudy. 
„ „ 12 hours sun below horizon. 
Having thus described the season meteorologically, let us 
now examine its agricultural character. For the collection of 
evidence on this point I addressed a letter of inquiry last July 
to a number of leading tenant farmers in the several counties 
between the extreme north and south of the island, stating as 
follows the particulars on which information was desired, and 
the questions on which the experience of the year might, it was 
thought, be expected to throw light : — 
1. As to the heallh of the live stock of the farm, will you tell me your 
experience as to the drop of lambs and the health of the ewe flock ; and, 
generally, as to the influence of the prolonged winter and the wet spring on 
the health of horses, cattle and sheep ? 
2. As to the crops of the farm, one would like to know in a number of 
instances the effect of the winter on the wheattrop, on particular varieties; 
and on crops after fallow, clover, beans, respectively : also on the winter 
bean crop, and on green crops left exposed. 
3. As to fuUow operations, the questions to be answered relate to the 
influence of land drainage and of autumn cultivation in making the necessary 
work of spring time easier or jwssible. Also to the great difSculties of spring 
and summer fallow work, and their results in the subsequent turnip and 
mangold crop ; which, however, cannot be fully known till later on. 
A large quantity of information in answer to this circular 
soon reached me ; and some further evidence has been sent to 
