9 



Week ending 3Iay 17. — New Englacd. Boston: Fine 

 growinoj weather, although excessive rains have hindered 

 planting ; low grounds flooded ; grass making rapid growth ; 

 corn being extensively planted ; tobacco plants set in Connec- 

 ticut ; cranberry vines looking remarkably well ; fruit pros- 

 pects good, except apples. 



Week ending May 24. — New England. Boston: Gener- 

 ally favorable week ; warm, sunny days, but nights rather too 

 cool ; very light precipitation in many localities ; crops mak- 

 ing satisfactory growth ; planting about finished in south and 

 progressing well in north. 



Weather for May, 1897. 



May was characterized by somewhat variable weather 

 conditions, not entirely favorable to the farmer, but, notwith- 

 standing, the season is regarded as earlier than the average. 

 The temperature ranged below the normal during the first 

 eight days averaging a deficiency of about 2.5° each day. 

 During this period the nights were altogether too cold for 

 rapid or even steady growth. It was very cool on the morn- 

 ing of the 8th. In western Massachusetts ice formed and 

 the ground froze in low lands, but a high wind protected 

 fruit. The temperature returned to a more normal state 

 with the beginning of the second decade, and by the 20th 

 the accumulated excess was more than 40°. Farm work was 

 nearly at a standstill from the 10th to 17th, owing to the prev- 

 alence of general heavy rains. Copious rains fell on the 12th 

 and 13th, amounting in central sections to about two inches 

 at the several reporting stations. The temporary delay in 

 planting caused by the wet weather was more than compen- 

 sated for by the immense good done to all vegetation. Grass, 

 especially, pushed forward wonderfully fast, and the prospects 

 for this crop are of the best. The week ending the 24th was 

 cool and very dry, with considerable high wind. In the 

 central and western portions of the State the rainfall was 

 little more than a trace. There was an abundance of sun- 

 shine, but the cool nights checked growth. Frosts on the 

 22d and 23d produced no great damage so far as learned. 



The chief features of the weather by decades during the 

 moilth were as follows : 1st decade, temperature considerably 



