as on any day during the summer. Beginning with the 

 15th, the nights became cool, the mercury often falling below 

 50^. Light frosts occurred on the 22d and 28th. The storm 

 periods were few and there were no particularly large rain- 

 falls. The first decided storm commenced on the evening of 

 the 23d. The weather in general was very pleasant, and 

 gave excellent weather for harvesting. Bright, sunny days 

 greatly exceeded the cloudy ones in number. 



The month of October was characterized by weather con- 

 ditions w^hich, in the main, were of the best. The temperature 

 was unusually mild and the precipitation very deficient. At 

 many places the total monthly rainfall was less than one-half 

 inch. The total of rainy days which would interfere with 

 out-door work was but one, and the entire number of days 

 with an appreciable amount of rain averaged not more than 

 three for the entire State. The effects of the drought are 

 not as yet greatly in evidence, as the ground is still fiiirly 

 wet from the accumulated summer rains. The top of the 

 ground, however, is dry, and streams and springs are be- 

 ginning to feel the need of rain. 



The month came in with conditions strongly suggestive 

 of a return to summer. On the 1st the temperature rose 

 above 85° in numerous localities, but late in the afternoon 

 it began to fall, and on the 2d its range w^as 30° or 40° 

 lower. The 4th, 5th and 6th were warm days. On the 7th 

 the mercury sought a lower range, and the cool wave cul- 

 minated on the morning of the 10th with the temperature 

 varying from 25° in western and interior sections to slightly 

 below 40° on the coast. The most marked feature of 

 the month was the wave of summer heat which prevailed 

 throughout the 15th and 16th. The 15th was, in every 

 respect, a perfect summer day, and the heat was prolonged 

 through the 16th, reaching almost 90° on the latter date. 

 The highest October temperature on record at the Boston 

 Weather Bureau office was 90°, on the 1st, in 1881, and 

 this record was very nearly equalled by the temperature 

 of the 16th of this October. The hot spell was brought 

 to a close early Sunday morning, the 17th, when the arrival 

 of a cold north-west wind forced the mercury rapidly down- 



