xviii BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



recorded on the 24tli, and were very near the zero point in 

 the interior. The rapid rise in temperature from the 24th 

 to the 26th deserves mention, the recovery within that period 

 beino- from 50 to 60 desfrees. 



The atmospheric pressure fluctuated rapidly, some decided 

 changes were noted in comparatively short periods, and the 

 wind movement was characterized hy frequent violent gales, 

 particularly in the early part of the month. 



Although rather given to stormy conditions, portions of 

 December were mild and pleasant. The month opened 

 somewhat cold, with a moderate snowfall. The cold in- 

 creased during the few succeeding days, but on the 5th the 

 temperature recovered from 40 to 50 degrees, followed by a 

 slight cold wave on the 7th. Mild weather was the ruling 

 feature from the 10th to the 18th. At Boston the maximum 

 temperature of 64° on the 10th has been exceeded in this 

 month but twice since 1872. Early on the 18th the tem- 

 perature began to seek a lower level, and Sunday morning, 

 the 19th, found the mercury at a low figure, with the atmos- 

 phere rendered more biting by thrashing north-west gales. 

 The period of cold weather thus instituted was carried on 

 almost without interruption until near the close of the 

 month. The coldest days were the 25th and 29th 



The principal storms were on the 5th, 14th-15th, and that 

 which commenced on the afternoon of the last day. The 

 heaviest storm, in respect to amount of precipitation, was 

 that of the 14th-15th. The precipitation, almost wholly in 

 the form of rain, averaged from two to four inches. This 

 heavy rainfall brought on a freshet in the Connecticut River 

 valley, so that the stage of the water was but little lower 

 than that of the extraordinary July floods, while small streams 

 overflowed banks and flooded meadows. The snowfall of 

 the month was large in western sections, and merely nominal 

 in central and eastern. The open w^eather in the middle of 

 the month permitted ploughing to l)e done for several days. 



