REMARKS 



The weather during March was nearly normal in most re- 

 spects. It was slightly colder than usual and there was more rain 

 and more sunshine than normal. The mean temperature for the 

 month was 32 degrees, the normal being 34.4 degrees. The lowest 

 temperature was 5 degrees on the 5th. The normal minimum for 

 March is 6.1 degi^es. The domestic heating load for the month 

 was 1022 degree-days compared to a normal of 950 degree-days. 

 The heating load for the season to the end of March is 5959 de- 

 gree-days, the normal for this period being 5932 degree-days. 



The total precipitation for the month was 4.36 inches, with 

 8.25 inches of snow. The normal precipitation for March is 3.70 

 inches and the normal snowfall 7.47 inches. The total precipita- 

 tion since January 1 is 7.94 inches, while the normal for the three 

 months is 10.50 inches. We have had a total of 26.50 inches of 

 snow during the winter, the normal snowfall to the end of March 

 being 45.62 inches. 



There were 226 hours of bright sunshine, the normal being 

 199 hours. The highest wind velocity was 40 miles per hour on 

 the 28th. 



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

 statement: "There has been no severe cold during the past winter 

 but snowfall was deficient and the ground bare most of the time. 

 We should look for no material winter injury to tree fruits and few 

 peach fruit buds have been killed. Therefore, a good peach crop 

 is to be expected as spring frosts rarely kill the flowers or young 

 fruits in Massachusetts. The absence of a snow cover is not good 

 for strawberry plants but well-mulched beds should not suffer. 

 The present state of vegetation is somewhat retarded, and we do 

 not expect an early spring. Resumption of growth depends on 

 'future rather than past temperatures and a few days of warm 

 weather will bring a normal stage of progress." 



