No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. ix 



generally sufficient showers occurred. But little rain fell in 

 the eastern part of the State. The highest temperature 

 reported was 103°, at Lowell on the 17th. Light frosts 

 occurred on the morning of the 14th in the south-east. The 

 prevailing wind was south-west. Drought conditions were 

 reported in places. Hail fell at Hyannis on the 4th. Thun- 

 der-storms occurred on the 4th, 7th, 11th, 21st, 23d and 

 30th. 



July weather on the whole was favorable for harvesting 

 hay and grain ; but the heat on some of the last days of the 

 month was intense, and there was a general lack of precipi- 

 tation in all eastern sections, giving one of the most serious 

 and long-continued droughts on record. At many of the 

 interior towns reliable thermometers registered over 100"^ 

 on the 20th. In the western part of the State the rainfoll 

 was generally sufficient for vegetation. The prevailing wind 

 was south-west. Thunder-storms occurred on the 1st, 3d, 

 5th, 10th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 21st, 25th, 29th 

 and 31st. Hail was reported at Worcester the 25th and 

 at Fitchburg the 29th. 



August weather was cool. There were few rainy and 

 cloudy days, and an unusual lack of rainfall. The drought 

 was reported as serious in all sections of the State. A frost 

 on the 2 2d was general throughout the State. Hail was 

 reported at Concord on the 19th. The prevailing wind was 

 south-west. Thunder-storms were reported on the 3d, 9th, 

 15th, 19th and 20th. 



September weather was generally favorable for ripening 

 and harvesting crops. The weather was warmer than usual, 

 the warmest spells being on the 9th-llth, and the coldest 

 on the 26th-27th. On the last-named dates were killing 

 frosts on all low lands. The prevailing wind was south- 

 west. Thunder-storms occurred on the 10th, 15th, IGth, 

 17th. A heavy thunder and wind storm passed easterly 

 across the northern part of the State on the 10th. A storm 

 on the 30th whipped off many apples along the coast. 



October weather was warmer than usual, with a marked 

 excess of precipitation in the south-eastern districts and a 

 slight excess in central and western. The 20th was the 



