In article ,
Rodger Whitlock wrote:
On 21 Feb 2003 18:03:14 GMT, (Nick Maclaren)
wrote:

More seriously, I agree that the vast proportion of the agricultural
crops are not herbaceous, but they are not woody either, and the
average extreme minimum is quite inappropriate. There are many,
FAR better, measures for those, INCLUDING simple latitude!

Not really. If you look at a weather map of North America with
the temperature bands colored (or the USDA zone map, for that
matter!), you will see that they are *not* oriented east-west.
Indeed, on the left coast, the bands run north-south rather than
east-west. And in the south east, they run in a large curve that
aproximately parallels the coast from Texas to New England.

I suggest rereading what I said! What you say is quite correct,
but irrelevant. The vast proportion of agricultural crops are
grown as annuals, where it is the length of growing season and its
cumulative heat and light that matters, and simple latitude is a
MUCH more reliable indicator for those EVEN within the USA!

Globally, of course, it beats the daylights out of USDA zones as
an indicator of which agricultural crops are appropriate. Look at
any good atlas and see - the bands hit you between the eyes.

Wyman distinguishes the zone map devised at the Arnold Arboretum
from that devised by the USDA. And, might I add, that his words
imply that the USDA map was actually devised by the American
Horticultural Society and only published by the USDA. Your
disdain for it might not be too far off the mark after all.

Interesting.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679