REMARKS 



The weather during April was unusually pleasant, with 

 the season at the end of the month considerably in advance 

 of normal. The mean temperature for the month was 49.2 

 degrees, the normal being 45.8 degrees. This is the highest 

 mean temperature for April since 1921 when it was 52.0 

 degrees. The highest temperature for the month was 88 

 degrees on the 28th. This was equalled in 1915, and exceeded 

 in 1896 when it reached 88.5. The lowest temperature was 

 18 degrees on the 6th. The total number of degree-days for 

 the current heating season to the end of April is 6280.5, 

 while the normal for this period is 6542 degree-days. The 

 total precipitation during the month was 3.07 inches, while 

 the normal is 3.27 inches. The snowfall was one-quarter inch, 

 the average snowfall during April being 2.32 inches. There 

 were 256 hours of bright sunshine, the normal for April 

 being 221 hours. The mean relative humidity was 58.5 per- 

 cent, compared with a normal of 62 percent. 



Dr. J. K. Shaw gives the following comment on the 

 fruit crop: "The development of fruit plants is fully ten 

 days more advanced than the average due to warm days 

 during April. The average date of full bloom of Mcintosh 

 apple trees for the past sixteen years is May 15. A heavy 

 bloom is opening in most of the College orchards, giving 

 promise of a full crop. Not enough peach fruit buds were 

 winter-killed to reduce the bloom seriously. Pear and plum 

 trees are blooming heavily. There is a full bloom on apple 

 trees, except on some that fruited heavily last year. No 

 information is yet available as to conditions over the state, 

 but as last year's crop was generally heavier than that at 

 the College, it is probable that bloom is generally less. Due 

 to the advanced state of the trees, damage from late frosts 

 may be feared but frost damage is rare in Massachusetts, 

 except in orchards with poor air drainage." 



