No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. xiii 



sisted of light showers on three djiys. The mornings of the 

 17th and 19th were especially cool, the temperature falling 

 below 50° in all but coast sections. 



A very satisfactory week was that which ended with the 

 28th. The rainfall was very light, and much sunshine pre- 

 dominated. A warm spell set in, commencing with the 22d, 

 when the temperature rose to 80°, and terminated on the 

 25th with maximum of over 85°. 



July was characterized by meteorological features which 

 will cause it to l)e long remembered. The excessive heat 

 during the first decade, the abnormally heavy rains of the 

 13th and 14th, unequalled for many years, the occurrence of 

 severe local storms, and the spell of gloomy and unseason- 

 ably cool weather at the close of the month constituted a 

 chain of conditions which illustrate the variability of New 

 England climate. 



The month began with temperature at the seasonal average. 

 A heated spell set in on the 5th and continued without inter- 

 ruption until the 10th. During this period maximum tem- 

 peratures of 90° and over were commonly registered, and 

 under the influence of the intense heat and bright sunshine, 

 with but little rainfall, all crops advanced rapidly and health- 

 fully. The warm spell was terminated, temporarily, on the 

 10th, by a so-called " sea-turn " on the coast, and which was 

 generally felt throughout the State. From the 12th to the 

 25th there was the usual number of days of summer warmth, 

 but no extreme heat, although many days were extremely 

 trying, owing to moist, south winds. A season of damp, 

 east winds, beginning with the 25th and lasting through the 

 29th, gave very cool temperatures, averaging a daily de- 

 parture below the normal of 8°. 



The precipitation record was a remarkable one, and easily 

 takes front rank as the most important characteristic of the 

 month. The first five days witnessed but little rainfall, gen- 

 erally speaking, except that on the 2d a heavy local storm, 

 accompanied by hail, visited portions of Worcester County. 

 Heavy thunder- showers traversed the western part of the 

 State on the 7th, washing roads and beating down crops, but 

 on the whole the rain was a benefit. From that date up to 

 the time of the great storm of the 13th-14th, generally fair 



