REMARKS 



While the weather for the month continued warmer than nor- 

 mal, the To degree maximum recorded on the 26th was 10 degrees 

 less than the record March temperature of 1929. In nine other 

 years of record, the mean daily temperature has exceeded the 38. "2 

 degrees of the past month, but never before have the first three 

 months of the year combined greater-than-average mean daily tem- 

 peratures to produce the mildness of the past season. The heating 

 load for the month was 831 degree-days against a normal of 950 

 and last year's 932, while the season's cumulative load at the end 

 of the month totaled 49K against a normal of 5932 and last year's 

 6128 degree-days. 



Except for light snow on the 18th, snow cover disappeared 

 on the 7th. Precipitation w^as very light at 1.67 inches total water 

 in the more than normal 10.5 inches of snow fall. Measurable 

 precipitation occurred on only five days of the month even though 

 cloudiness exceeded normal and hours of bright sunshine were less 

 than normal. 



W. H. Thies. Extension Professor of Horticulture, contributes 

 the following report: 'In spite of the many balmy days during the 

 winter, vegetation is still no more than two weeks ahead of normal. 

 A cold spell now and then, as for example, a low temperature of 

 2° on March 20 have provided a necessary check on swelling buds 

 and a reminder that spring is not "just around the corner." How 

 mild the past winter has been is well illustrated by these compari- 

 sons : January was the warmest since 1933. February the warmest 

 since 1890, and March among the warmest since 1929. 



March was a relatively dry month with slightly more than 

 an inch of rainfall in Amherst. Soaking rains and melting snow- 

 fall on unfrozen ground in previous months, howe\er, have left 

 the soil well supplied with moisture. Cover crops have wintered 

 well. Fruit buds have thus far suffered no appreciable damage, 

 although growers are already on the alert in the knowledge that 

 apple scab spores are maturing early. Numerous pear psylla adults 

 have been observed in some orchards and red mite of one or more 

 species promises to be a problem. 



