REMARKS 



The weather during May was normal in most respects except that 

 the temperature was higher than usual. The mean temperature for 

 the month was 61.4 degrees, while the normal is 57.1 degrees. This 

 mean temperature has been exceeded only twice in May since 1889, 

 in 1911 and 1918. In 1911 the mean was 62.5 degrees and in 1918, 

 62.2 degrees. The highest temperature was 87 degrees on the 30th 

 and the lowest, 31 degrees on the 11th. These are normal ranges 

 of temperature for May. The last frost of the month occurred on 

 May 11. The domestic heating load for the month was 144 degree- 

 days as compared to a normal of 287 degree-days. The total heat- 

 ing load for the season is now 6082 degree-days compared to a 

 normal of 6798 degree-days. In other words, the heating load dur- 

 ing the current year has been only 90 percent of the normal value. 



The total precipitation for the month was 2.98 inches, the normal 

 being 3.60 inches. This brings the total precipitation since January 

 1 to 17.03 inches which is 0.42 less than normal for that period. 

 There were 258 hours of bright sunshine which is 6 hours higher 

 than the average. There were no high winds during the month. 



Dr. J. K. Shaw, research pomologist, makes the following state- 

 ment regarding the progress of vegetation : "Weather during May 

 was seasonable and fruit plants have made normal progress. The 

 bloom of apple trees was very early, about the same elate as last 

 year. Bloom was very heavy. Many trees, especially Mcintosh, 

 that produced a good crop last year bloomed heavily. Conditions 

 for pollination were good and set of young apples seems to be 

 heavy. Some frost injury was reported from low-lying orchards 

 but indications now point to one of the heaviest apple crops in 

 recent years. The peach bloom was better than anticipated but 

 varieties tender in bud show little or no bloom. Strawberries are 

 beginning to ripen the first of June. The prospects are for a good 

 blueberry crop but raspberries may be a short crop owing to winter 

 injury to the canes." 



