REMARKS 



The unusual feature of July weather was the heavy rain on 

 the 23rd. A total of 3.46 inches fell on that day. There was 

 no rain from the 2nd to the 21st but a total of 4.49 inches fell in 

 the storm from the 21st to the 23rd. The total rainfall for the 

 month was 5.30 inches, normal for July being 4.10 inches. The 

 total precipitation from January 1 to July 31 was 24.01 inches. 

 The normal precipitation for this period is 25.30 inches. The 

 mean temperature for July was 70.2 degrees, normal being 70.8 

 degrees. Rain fell on only 6 days and there were 319 hours of 

 bright sunshine compared to a normal of 268 hours. Relative 

 humidity was 69.2 percent. There were no high winds during 

 the month. 



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

 statement: "The dry period which began the latter part of June 

 continued until July 22 v/hen heavy showers relieved the situa- 

 tion. The strawberry crop was far enough along to mature a 

 good crop before conditions became severe, but raspberries suf- 

 fered severely. Lawns became brown where the soil was not 

 retentive of moisture. The dry weather must have delayed the 

 growth of apples and possibly other tree fruits but they will 

 resume growth with a more abundant water supply. The bad 

 scab situation caused by so much moist, rainy weather in the 

 spring continues, and susceptible varieties will show the effects 

 even with a continued vigorous spray program. Other diseases 

 and insects of tree fruits have not yet caused unusual damage. 



"The peach crop will be good except in orchards in frost 

 pockets. The apple crop is spotty, spring frosts having reduced 

 or destroyed the crop in some orchards while others will pro- 

 duce a nearly normal crop. It is reported that the crop in Massa- 

 chusetts will be about three times that of the very short crop 

 of 1945 but still considerably below normal. 



"Cultivated blueberries suffered from spring frosts and the 

 dry weather, during which the berries did not grow well, and 

 when the showers came there was much cracking in varieties 

 susceptible to such injury. The crop will be below normal." 



