6 



The extent of the proposed breadth of cotton already 

 planted on the first day of May was 81.9, against 87.9 per 

 cent last year and 88.3 per cent usually planted at this date. 

 Much of the early cotton was killed by the frosts, making 

 replanting necessary. 



Weather Stbimary, January to April, 1897. 



[FVENISHED BT THE WeATHER BuREAV, BoSTON.] 



January averaged warmer than usual, except along the 

 south-eastern coast, where slight deficiencies in temperature 

 occurred. The mean monthly temperature was 26.8°, a 

 departure above the normal of 1.6°. A warm spell pre- 

 vailed from the 3d to 5th inclusive, with the maxima ranging 

 in the fifties. Winter temperatures were then the rule until 

 the middle of the month. A most pronounced cold wave 

 set in on the 19th. This produced remarkable temperature 

 falls, averaging 40° to 60°. By the 21st the weather was 

 again moderate and so continued. The storm of the 5th 

 gave general heavy rains ; that of the 17th and 18th was also 

 mostly rain. The storm of the 20th and 21st began as 

 snow, but changed to rain. There was little snow during 

 the month until the o-reat storm of the 28th. This was a 

 typical coast storm. Its centre passed Boston about 1 p.m. 

 of the 28th. From 12 to 18 inches of snow fell and the 

 month closed with a large body on the ground. 



February was an agreeable change from the severe weather 

 conditions which generally characterize the month. Heavy 

 storms were not numerous. The mean monthly temperature 

 was higher than the normal b}' 2°. There were only two 

 pronounced cold waves. Zero weather was almost steady 

 throughout the first six mornings in all but coast sections. 

 During the second decade and the greater part of the third 

 the mercury went below zero but few times, although the 

 closing days brought a cold spell. There were numerous 

 mild, spring-like days, and the general conditions pcesented 

 a marked contrast to those of the same month in 1896. The 

 precipitation averaged a departure below the normal of 0.95 

 inch. A good snow covering protected the ground. The 

 snowfall averaged 13 inches. 



