No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. x i 



State was the coldest and wettest on record, and all prelim- 

 inary farm work was greatly retarded. The average daily 

 temperature deficiency was about 3°. The precipitation was 

 excessive and the number of rainy days large. The latter 

 part of the month was particularly stormy, with precipitation 

 in some part of the State on nearly every day. 



May opened with pleasant, mild weather, but by the 3d 

 stormy conditions again prevailed. From the 6th to the 15th 

 the conditions were much more favorable, and practically no 

 precipitation occurred. Several mornings were quite cool 

 and frosty. The weather during the third week of the month 

 was generally favorable, with more sunshine. The last week 

 of the month was remarkable for the amount of cloudiness 

 and rain, caused by the slow passage of a storm up the 

 Atlantic coast. No high gales accompanied this storm, but 

 the temperature remained low, with much fog and thick 

 weather along the coast. Taken together, April and May 

 were most unfavorable for farming operations. 



June opened unfavorably for the farmer in all parts of the 

 State except in the extreme western counties. The total 

 amount of precipitation during the first week was not exces- 

 sive, but the continued cloudiness retarded the growth of 

 crops and interfered with farm w T ork in general. The week 

 ending with the 13th was almost perfect for crop develop- 

 ment. The week ending the 20th w r as also most favorable. 

 Light frosts occurred, but no damage was reported. Bright, 

 sunny days were the rule for the last week. The month was 

 practically normal in temperature, but a slight deficiency in 

 precipitation was noted. 



July was a month of extremes in temperature, ranging 

 from a maximum of about 98° on the 3d to a minimum 

 of 48° on the mornings of the 10th and 12th inclusive. In 

 some places light frost was reported on the 12th, but no 

 damage resulted. The precipitation was deficient during the 

 first half of the month, but later numerous showers brought 

 the amount up to the average. There was a very severe 

 thunderstorm, with very heavy rainfall, in east central Massa- 

 chusetts during the afternoon of the 19th. This storm did 

 much good, as the ground was beginning to feel the lack of 

 rain. The last few days of the month were generally cloudy, 



