6 



poor. Iowa and Missouri report favorable prospects. Win- 

 ter rye, like wheat, has advanced nearly 2 points since last 

 month, its average for May being 88.7. The prospects for 

 rye throughout the rye belt are fair, except in the State of 

 New York, where it is too dry, while in the States of Minne- 

 sota and Kansas the crop was considerably damaged by the 

 severe winter, and has, not recovered. The average condition 

 of winter barley is 94, against 62.3 in the month of May, 

 1894. The lowest conditions are in Texas, Indiana and 

 Iowa, and the highest in New York, California and Oregon. 

 The condition of spring pasture is 89.7 ; of mowing lands, 

 89.4. The proportion of spring ploughing done May 1 is 

 reported as 82.8 per cent, against 83.5 last year and 73.4 

 in 1893. For Massachusetts the average condition of mead- 

 ows and mowing lands May 1 is given as 96 ; of spring 

 pasture, 93 ; proportion of ploughing work already done, 33 

 per cent; proportion usually done by May 1 (in an average 

 year) , 44 per cent. 



Weather Summary, January — April, 1895. 



Furnished by the New England "Weather Service. 



January gave slightly warmer weather than normal in the 

 eastern part of the State, and slightly colder in central and 

 western counties. There was no general thaw and no ex- 

 tremely cold weather. The precipitation was above the nor- 

 mal in the southern part, but less than the usual amount 

 came in the centre and north. About the normal amount of 

 snow fell during the month, and with the steady temperature 

 most of it remained on the ground, giving a good protection 

 to all roots and shrubs. The only storm of marked severity 

 was that of the 26th-27th, when some damage was done 

 along the coast by the wind, and travel was hindered in the 

 interior by drifting snow. 



February was cold and dry. The temperature averaged 

 from 2 to 7 degrees a day below the normal throughout the 

 greater part of the State. The temperature rose several 

 degrees above freezing in south-eastern Massachusetts on 

 the early morning of the 8th, then fell rapidly and to a low 

 point under the influence of north-west winds which pre- 

 vailed. At Provincetown the daily range on the 8th was 



