REMARKS. 



The most noteworthy features of the past month were the deficiency 

 of rainfall and the abundance of sunshine. 



The total precipitation for the month was but 2.58 inches, of which 

 less than one quarter of an inch fell before .the 26th instant; the 

 amount of sunshine recorded was 65%. The atmospheric pressure 

 has been generally high and steady with a small range for the month. 

 The mean daily temperature was about 4^ above the normal but the 

 nights have been generally cool and comfortable. The hottest day, 

 the 10th inst., whose mean temperature was Sl*^, gave us a new 

 maximum for May, 94.3°. 



"Eight cyclonic and seven anticyclonic areas influenced the 

 weather in New England during the month of May. During the first 

 two-thirds of the month, these areas moved with little velocity or 

 energy. The low pressure areas especially were poorly defined and 

 gave only a moderate amount of clouds and very little rainfall in any 

 section of our district. During the last week the cyclonic storms 

 have been more energetic and have generated severe local storms. 

 None of them, however, have been so severe in this section as in the 

 Central States, as the storms have decreased in energy as they 

 crossed the Lake region." — N. E. Weather Bureau. 



The conditions for f ^rm work have been generally good except in 

 localities where the ground is naturally very dry. Planting is fin- 

 ished except in occasional late corn fields for the silo. Tobacco set- 

 ting from hot beds was begun last week and is still in progress. 

 Seeds have germinated well for the most part and the recent rains 

 have given everything a good start. Grass-land, however, has felt 

 the drought severely and the hay crop must inevitably suffer. 



Violent winds, coupled with the extreme dryness, have done con- 

 siderable damage. That of the 18th inst. was much the most serious 

 one, shrivelling the tender leaves on many maples and other trees 

 and shrubs, and doing much damage to the fine alluvial soils of the 

 Connecticut valley in all exposed localities. It swept the surface 

 soil off in many cases for a depth of upwards of three-quarters of an 

 inch and laid bare or swept away the plant roots. The onion crop 

 suffered most, though the injury was of a local character, confined to 

 knolls and other exposed situations. Professor Brooks mentions 

 among others one field of four acres in Sunderland meadows from 

 which every vestige of the crop (onions) was swept away and the 

 surface left seemingly as hard as a board floor. Insect pests have 

 flourished in the dry weather and have done considerable damage. 



LEONARD METCALF, Acting Meteorologist. 

 JAMES L. BARTLETT, Observer. 



