10 



There was less than the usual amount of rainy weather 

 and cloudiness, but in the eastern part of the State, owing 

 to the heavy rainstorm referred to, the total for the month was 

 considerably above normal. At Boston rain began at 1.55 

 P.M. on the 12th and continued till 4.30 a.m. of the 14th, 

 and in that time occurred the heaviest continuous rainfall 

 ever recorded at the weather bureau station there. The 

 total amount was 5.64 inches, 4.85 inches falling from 8 p.m. 

 on the 12th to 8 p.m. on the loth. Immediately surround- 

 ing Boston the fall was greater than at that station, but in the 

 south-eastern part of the State very little came, and in west- 

 ern districts it was not out of the ordinary. At Framing- 

 ham 8.49 inches was recorded by the Boston water works, 

 and at other places between that city and Boston the fall was 

 from 6 to 8 inches. 



The mean temperature was about 1.7 degrees per day 

 below the normal at Boston, and there were few rapid or 

 extreme changes and no spells of continued warm or cool 

 weather. The first heavy frost of the season occurred at 

 many south-eastern districts on the morning of the 11th. 

 On October 6 an unusually high tide prevailed along the 

 eastern coast, caused by a cyclonic storm that was moving 

 northward far out to sea. It was one of the highest ever 

 noted at Beverly Farms. 



Crops of the Year. 

 The season opened slowly and was later than usual at the 

 end of March. The ground during April was cold and no 

 amount of seed had been put into it at the end of the month. 

 Fall seeding generally wintered well. Promise of a light 

 crop of grass on old meadows and dry fields, owing to 

 drought and frost. Apple bloom rather light, it being the 

 ofi" year ; but the bloom of pears, peaches, etc., was gener- 

 ally large. Great damage was done to new growth on 

 grapes, to grass, fruits, vegetables, corn and potatoes by the 

 general frosts of the 14th and 17th of May. Moisture gen- 

 erally insufficient for the proper nourishment of crops, and 

 grass suffered in particular. On the whole, the month was 

 favorable for the forwarding of farm work and the outlook 

 for crops was encouraging. Canker worms quite prevalent ; 



