The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-24 00:00:00

an elaborate paper published inthe eighth volume of the
Royal Agricultural Society's Journal for 1848, in which he
shows that in 1844, 1845, and 1846, the difference in the
amount of produce was in accordance with the general cha-
racter of their respective seasons.
" Thus in 1844, when there were only 81 rainy days (in
30/ weeks), and when the mean summer temperature was
57'5 deg, the farm produced 16 bushels of corn to the acre,
and the weight of the bushel was 60/lbs., whilst the grain
bore to the straw as high a ratio as about 82 to 100.
" In 1846, when there were 93 rainy days, and when the
mean temperature was as high as 59deg., the yield was about
17 bushels per acre, and the weight of a bushel 681bs. ; but
the proportion of grain to straw was lower, namely 76 to
100, showing that the yield of corn had been influenced by
temperature, but that the quantity of straw had been in-
creased by the amount of rain.
" Lastly, in 1845, when the number of rainy days was
greater, though the temperature had been lower than in
either of the two other yews—the former being 110, the
latter 55 degrees—the yield was much greater, amounting
to 23 bushels per acre, but the weight of the corn per
bushel less, namely, 56!b5., and the increase in the produce
of straw such that the grain only bore to it the proportion
of 49 to 100.
/, These figures appear to show thlt although the greater
yetater
quantity of rain was tavAirable to the amount of grain,
that it tended to increase in a still greater ratio that of the
straw, and that the higher the temperature of the year was
the heavier the grain would prove, so as to make up in
quality for its deficiency in actual quantity.
"Thus it would appear that, under the same treatment,
the produce may vary in the proportion of seven bushels
per acre, according to the difference of season, which is
equivalent to one quarter of the normal produce; or, cal
culating this at 30 million quarters in a good year, may be
as much as 7i million deficient."
Iu cone.usion we would remark that climate
depends upon heat, cloud, rain, wind, the frequency
of electrical disturbance, and probably the diffusion
of ozone. As regards heat, the actual mean annual
temperature of any place has not such an impor-
tant influence upon life, either animal or vegetable,
as the abr'iptness and magnitude of its changes.
Climate should be estimated more by the range
of the thermometer than by the average
of its indications. The Registrar-General's returns
prove that with a wide range of the thermometer
the mortality greatly increases; and it is now ap-
parent to meteorologists that the daily range of the
thermometer marks the effects of temperature on
the health of men, and the success of crops, better
than any other meteorclogical fact of which we take
cognisance. Now that we possess self. registering
thermometers constructed with mercury, the most
appropriate of all thermometric substances, not only
for maximum but likewise for minimum tempera-
tures, thanks to the ingenious invention of Mr.
Casella, the determination of the diurnal range of
temperature has become more certain, and observa-
tions are rendered more strictly comparable. The
prevalence of a serene or a cloudy sky tells strikingly
upon animal spirits and vegetable vigour. Vapour
and clouds are concerned in the important operations
of solar and terrestrial radiation. Cloudy days
diminish the effect upon the soil of solar radiation ;
cloudy nights retard the radiation from the earth.
Hence, it appears to us, that observations from
radiation-thermometers are of much greater im-
portance in judging of climate than is usually sup-
posed. These observations are very scanty, and
what few are yet upon record are not very reliable,
principally from bad exposure of the instruments,
while the want of uniformity in construc-
tion may be another evil. Thus, in the
recently invented vaccnum jacket for the
solar radiation thermometer, the makers are not
consistent in the shape which they give to the
outer bulb. So far as we can yet judge of it,
it should be made as by Casella—hemisphe-
rical. Herschel's actinometer, and Pouillet's
pyrheliometer, instruments for ascertaining the
heating effect of the sun's rays, should, more-
over, be more generally employed by meteorolo-
gists. Professor Tyndal calculates that 10 per cent.
of the heat radiated from the earth in this country is
stopped by 10ft. of the air which lies nearest to the
ground; and he very acutely remarks, that in com-
paring observations on the radiation it should be
kept in mind that the difference between a thermo-
meter which, properly confined, or shaded, gives the
true temperature of the night air, and one which is
permitted to radiate freely towards space, must be
greater at high etevations than at low ones. And this
because the higher the place, the less the thickness of
the vapour screen to intercept or retard the radiation.
Rain is the result of the cooling of warm air laden
with moisture, and, as the feeder of springs and
brooks, and the fertilizer of soils, is of course an
essential element of climate. When a .vvarm and
moist current of air encounters another body of
colder air which may not be extremely dry, the
mixture is unable to retain the whole of the vapour
in en invisible state; so that the excess becomes
visible as mist or fog, and, when sufficiently
cooled, rain. The British Isles are more or
less enveloped in fog, or mist, at the commence-
ment of easterly winds, which with a sudden
change of wind is exhibited even in summer; while
the south-westerly winds, warm and arriving from
the ocean, deposit large quantities of rain by the
cooling effect of the land, colder by reason of its
latitude. When rain occurs with a north-easterly
wind it is probably due to the deposition from an

upper south-westerly' current, often apparently
p uved by the movements of the upper clouds.

. _
Much consideration is due to winds in estimating

climate. Here we can only afford one or two re-

marks. In our islands the predominant westerly

winds are genial, and change little in temperature,

cowing from the ocean, which maintains its tem•
perature with more uniformity than the land,
throughout the year. In summer the east winds
are often very hot, in winter they are intensely
cold ; because they arrive from countries charac-
,erised by hot summers end cold winters. The
western shores of Europe, the borders of the
ocean and the continent, are the eeat of conflict
of these easterly and westerly
winds, of polar
and equatorial origin respectively ; and at
the spring and autumn, their temperature
being, as it were, more equally balanced, there
is a struggle for predominance, which results in the
equinoctial gales of the periods. Equatorial winds
are found to be negatively electric, polar winds
positively; hence the difference of electric tension

eccounts for the occurrence of lightning— and
thunder at some places, with violent gales of.
wind. It is not, however, our intention to go
further into the subject now, while in reference to
ozone we content ourselves with reiterating Pr.

Dauheny?s statement, that:ozoriema; playaa im-
portant I tin regulating the functions of the vege-
table kingfAom ; and although it would be premature
at present to speculate upon its specific office, yet,
for this reason alone, it may be well to note the fact
of its frequency, in conjunction with the different
phases which vegetation assumes, persuaded that
no principle can be generally diffused throughout
Nature, as appears to be the case with this, without
having some important and appropriate use assigned
for it to fulfil."

IdARSETS—This Day,

MARK LANE.

A very small supply of English wheat was received fresh
up to this morning's market. Good and tine parcels were
atious, but inferior parcels sold
in fair demand at full quotations
heavily on fonner terms.
The show of foreign wheat on the stands was large. All
descriptions changed hands slowly, yet no change took place
in prices compared with Monday.
Floating cargoes of grain were in but moderate request
at late rates.

The market was scantily supplied with barley, yet the
trade ruled inaetive at about stationary prices.
The value of malt was unchanged, but the demand ruled
inactive.

The supply of oats on offer was only moderate. For all
qualities, however, the demand ruled inactive at late rates.
Beaus and peas were dull, and prices had a downward
tendency.
The demand for flour ruled far from active at about pre-
vious quotations. There was a good supply of barrels on
offer.

-
ARRIVALS THIS WEEK,
Wheat. Barley. Malt. Oats. Flom,
English.— 670 I - ; 920 i 110 290
Irish. - _ 8.50 . -
Foreign .... -10,990 1,040 1 , 7,110 1 110 aka
13,010 brls
NEW GATE AND LEADENHALL.

The sup-
ply of meat on
.sale is moderate, and the trade,
generally speaking, rules inactive at our quotations.
• Per Sib. by the carcase.
s u 8 d sdsd
Inferior beef .. 3 0 3 4 Middling mutton 3 10 4 2
Nliddling do. • . 3 6 3 8 Prime do 4 4 4 6
Prime lar,ge do. 3 10 4 0 Veal .. 3 8 4 4
Do. small do. .. 4 0 4 2 Small pork a. 4 0 4 4
Large pork .. • . 3 4 3 10 Lamb
Interior mutton. 3 2 3 8