9 



The month began with temperature at the seasonal average, 

 and this, in connection with the beneficial rains at the close 

 of June, gave first-class growing conditions. A heated spell 

 set in on the 5th and continued without interruption until 

 the 10th. During this period maximum temperatures of 90° 

 and over were commonly registered, and under the influence 

 of the intense heat and bright sunshine, with but little rain- 

 fiiU, all crops advanced rapidly and healthfully. The warm 

 spell was terminated, temporarily, on the 10th by a so-called 

 "sea-turn" on the coast, and which was generally felt 

 throughout the State. From the 12th to the 25th there was 

 the usual number of days of summer warmth, but no extreme 

 heat, although many days were extremely trying, owing to 

 moist, south winds. A season of damp, east winds, begin- 

 ning with the 25th and lasting through the 29th, gave very 

 cool temperatures, averaging a daily departure below the 

 normal of 8°, so that the month closed with small accumu- 

 lated excess in temperature, notwithstanding the hot weather 

 at its commencement. 



The precipitation record was a remarkable one, and easily 

 takes front rank as the most important characteristic of the 

 month. The first five days witnessed but little rainfall, gen- 

 erally speaking, except that on the 2d a heavy local storm, 

 accompanied by hail, visited portions of Worcester County. 

 At East Templeton the storm was reported to be the heaviest 

 for a number of years, and much damage was caused locally 

 by it. 



Heavy thunder showers traversed the western part of the 

 State on the 7th, washing roads and beating down crops, but 

 on the whole the rain was a benefit. From that date up to 

 the time of the great storm of the 13th-14th, generally fair 

 weather prevailed. This last-named storm was of an excep- 

 tionally violent character, in fact almost unprecedented at 

 this season of year. It came from the western States, moved 

 across the lake regions on the 12th, and became central in 

 western Massachusetts on the morning of the 13th. Its 

 centre remained nearly stationary through the 13th and 14th, 

 owing to the obstructing area of high barometer in the 

 north-east, and during these two days torrents of water were 

 poured over all the State except the extreme eastern and 



