The average condition of meadow mowing lands was 92.8, 

 against 86.6 on May 1 of last year, 92.8 in 1901, and 88.4, 

 the mean of the May averages of the last ten years. 



The average condition of spring pastures was 92, against 

 84.9 on May 1 of last year, 91.5 in 1901, and 89.9, the 

 mean of the May averages of the last ten years. 



Th(? projjortion of spring plowing actually done of that 

 contemplated, 57.9, was the lowest, with one exception, in 

 twenty years. 



In Massachusetts the average condition of meadow mow- 

 ing lands was given as 96, the average condition of spring- 

 pasture as 94 and the proportion of spring plowing actually 

 done as 50. 



Weather Sujvimary, Jax. 1 to May 1, 1903. 



[Furnished by the Weather Bureau, Boston.] 



The weather of January was of the usual mid-winter type. 

 Several severe storms passed over the district, and frequent 

 severe gales were experienced along the coast. The most 

 severe storms of the month were those of the lOth-llth, 

 17th-18th, 20th-21st, 24th-25th. The weather was some- 

 what milder than usual for January, the mean temperature 

 being about 1° above the normal. There were no unusual 

 extremes of temperature, and a noticeable feature in connec- 

 tion with this element was the absence of the warm period, 

 usually known as the " January thaw." The precipitation 

 showed a slight deficiency, as compared with the normal of 

 the month. The snowfall was also rather light, but, owing 

 to the uniform conditions of temperature, the ground was 

 generally well covered until the close of the month. 



Februar}'' was marked by rapid and pronounced changes 

 in the weather. A heavy snow storm, a cold wave, a thaw, 

 thunderstorms and gales of hurricane force were prominent 

 features. The storm of the 16th-17th was unusually severe. 

 It reached all sections with heavy snow, and gales of great 

 violence occurred along the coast. The month was warmer 

 than usual for February, the monthly temperature being 

 about 2° above the normal. The precipitation was also in 

 excess, but the distribution was somewhat irregular. At 



