

Report of the Director. 
To the Board of Control of the New York Agricultural 
Experiment Station. 
GENTLEMEN:—I herewith submit my fifth annual report, 
for the calendar year 1886. 
The peculiarity of the year 1886 was the high temperature 
of March and April; this warmed the soil so that growth 
towards earliness was superior in 1886, for spring and early 
summer plants, to what the air temperature of May and 
June would seem to warrant. As we have no records of 
the soil temperature during the most of April, 1885, and 
none for May, we can but compare the soil temperatures for 
a short period, viz: from April 11-20, for the two seasons; 
thus for these dates: 
Mean temp. of soil. 
PPTL ACODEI LSS, ADIL EB) Bist aya ial ch gs te foe's 42.0° 
Peer she LOnG) {EH TBE POR Br a 56.6 
Pye ee P? TE8h. ca gine at ini aa se ape 35.8 
Brine» 01886, Diidaie Rect eck are REAP 50.3 
The mean air temperatures, however, abundantly evidence 
the connection of previous temperatures with the earliness 
of early summer growth. The mean temperatures, as 
given below, are the observations of 7 A. M., noon, and 
twice the 6 P. M. divided by 4. 
March, April. May. June. 
Av. max. temp. 1885... .... RPL hiss s UY disci! Sa ge i EY eed SP gre TELS 
aay at rer S86... .... STOR, sas. GOFID BYE IS Gor AG) ae 75.1 
mye moin. temp, 1885........ ps Vc ie 31 OG uethe ae) ens «pO O 
oa SPL OOO yay o a cl PAST Weapon 9 Bae NY Ot PE ae BOTs are ss 53.2 
Mean temp. Ee tch ee Aad BUMS) sage rie a, ec PO Ory mare a Oat 
FS 4 LBEO wis geal, CRAP DU ee. ao Re a a ay 68.0 
In 1885 and 1886 the date of development of several plants 
were as follows: 
1885. 1886. 
Cherry. Rockport Bigarreau, first bloom .. May 17..Apr. 26. 
Apple. Early Harvest re ....May 23..May 6. 
Raspberry. Seneca 3 ....dune 8..May 29. 
Grape. Monroe H ....dune 19. June 14, 
Strawberry. Wilson. First ripe berry. ....dune 20..June 9, 
Pea. Philadelphia. First edible. ...-June 20..June 11. 
