Records are collected of beech masts ( Fagus sylvatica L.) for the period 1921–50 and these records are compared in a table with the temperature, rainfall, and sunshine figures of the 5 months, May to September, of the preceding summer. It is shown that there are significant correlations between the size of mast and (i) July air temperature and (ii) July sunshine. Other factors affecting mast are considered and in particular the damaging effect of spring frosts to the flowers of beech.
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J. D. Matthews (1955) studied this question.