PROFESSIONAL NOTES.

SECTION I.

SHORT PAPERS.

The Weather and the Wheat Crop of 1902.

In the early part of December, the Board of Agriculture published the returns of all the crops for which estimates of yield are collected, not restricted, as usual, to the three principal cereals-wheat, barley, and oats.

These returns showed that, with the exception of potatoes and hops, the estimated yield per acre exceeded the average of the preceding ten years in the case of

every crop.

According to these returns, the yield of wheat in Great Britain was estimated at 32.83 bushels per acre, as compared with 30-84 bushels per acre in 1901, and with an average of 29.89 bushels for the preceding ten years, 1892-1901. Since the estimates were first collected, only in two previous years (1896 and 1898) has the yield per acre of wheat for Great Britain been returned at so high a figure.

As was the case last year, the estimated yield per acre in Scotland (38:07 bushels) is considerably higher, and in Wales the estimated yield per acre (27.96 bushels) is much lower, than the average of Great Britain. In neither of these two countries, however, is the area devoted to the growth of wheat of any great extent. There is a repetition of the same curious coin

R

cidence to which I drew attention last year, viz. that the estimated yield per acre in England is practically the same as that for Great Britain-32-82 bushels.

Below will be found, in tabular form, the mean temperature and total rainfall of each month of the twelve months ending August, 1902, as recorded at Greenwich, with the difference, in the case of the temperature, from the average of the previous 50 years, and of the rainfall from the average of the 50 years,

An examination of the above table shows that the temperature of the winter months of the twelve under review was, with the exception of November and February, above the average, but that the temperature of the four summer months, May, June, July, and August, was in each instance below the average. This latter fact only confirms the general impression of the year's weather; but the small rainfall for the twelve months will probably be a surprise to most readers who have not the advantage of the rain gauge at hand to guide them.

As the fine weather which was characteristic of the month of August, 1901, enabled the farmers to complete the cereal harvest under favourable conditions, they were in a position to devote their energies to tillage work in the month of September without let or hindrance. Although the area devoted to wheat is much less than it was some years ago, wheat sowing, and the preparation for it, is a most important part of the farmers' task on arable farms in the early autumn months. Fortunately, the weather in September was in every way favourable for tillage operations. The rain which fell at the end of August got the ground into good condition for the plough, which the fine weather of September, intermingled with a few wet days in the middle of the month, enabled the farmers to make the most of, so that by the end of the month a considerable area had been sown with wheat.

The fine weather continued quite up to the end of September, but in the very early days of October a great deterioration took place. Heavy rains, with much lower temperature, brought about a cessation of wheat sowing for a time, but the rains were not of long duration, so that by the end of the month most of the wheat had

been sown under favourable conditions, and that sown early was showing up well in the drill and was looking healthy and strong.

The beautiful weather in the early part of November enabled those farmers who had not been so fortunate as to complete their wheat sowing before to do so, and although there was a sharp touch of frost in the middle of the month, which caught a considerable quantity of mangels still unclamped, yet at the end of the month the wheat plant was in very healthy condition, and extending its root hold in a vigorous manner.

December was a wet month, and on more than half the days some rain was registered; but, notwithstanding a wet December, the rainfall for the year 1901 was again under the average. As regards temperature, with the exception of a cold spell of about ten days before Christmas, it was above the average for the time of the year, so that when the new year dawned it found the wheat plant in a forward and healthy state.

January was distinguished for its exceptionally high average temperature and its very small rainfall, as although rain was recorded at Greenwich on nine days, the total amount for the month was less than half the average.

February was the coldest month of the twelve, and the conditions prevalent in the second week were the most severe experienced during the whole season. The frost gave way very slowly, and as the higher temperatures were accompanied by dull foggy days, the land did not become so saturated with moisture as it might otherwise have been had the thaw been more rapid. This month was again dry, and what moisture was registered was more in the form of snow and sleet than of rain. Notwithstanding these adverse conditions, the

autumn-sown wheat at the end of the month, when the land was free from frost and snow, presented a sturdy

appearance.

March came in like a lamb and went out like a lion. In the first three weeks the temperatures were unusually mild, and although rain was recorded on several days it was not sufficiently heavy in character to seriously impede farm operations. The last week of the month brought with it heavy rains and high winds, but, this check notwithstanding, it is probable that tillage work was more forward at the end of this month than it had been for years at a corresponding period.

Like its three predecessors, the rainfall of April was below the average, and although some rain fell on a few days in the middle of the month, the total for the month was less than half-an-inch; an amount much below the average. With this small rainfall were keen northerly winds which abstracted from the soil what little moisture there might be present on the surface. The result of these inclement conditions was to retard all vegetable growth; newly-sown seed refused to germinate; the wheat plant at the end of the month bore unmistakable marks of the treatment it had received, and, owing in some measure to the attacks of wireworms, as well as to the unseasonable climatic conditions, it had in some instances become so patchy that it was found desirable to plough fields up.

For the first three weeks of its existence, the merry month of May quite belied its character. Although the rain gauge recorded moisture on many days, it took the form of hail or sleet. Searching winds were generally prevalent, temperatures remained low, night frosts were not unknown-that of the 14th being especially severe. On the 22nd several hours' rain fell. This was followed by