10 



N. H. Agr. Experiment Station 



[Bulletin 260 



The average annual precipitation is shown in Table 3. Bethlehem 

 has an average precipitation of 36.23 inches and Hanover, 35.82. For 

 the twelve-months period covered by this survey, the rainfall was con- 

 siderably below normal with a total for Bethlehem of only 24.14 inches 

 and of 31.34 for Hanover. Inasmuch as the deficiency was most notice- 

 able in the fall and winter months, rather than through the hot grow- 

 ing weather of summer, there is little indication of any detrimental 

 effect on crops. 



Table :i~Amounts of in-ecipiiation for selected months of 1929-30 compared to 

 the normal as given by stations at Bethlehem and Hanover, Grafton 

 County, New Hampshire. 



As a usual thing, the rainfall is quite ample, assisted somewhat by 

 reduced evaporation due to a northern, cooler climate. Considerable 

 inconvenience resulted from a lack of adequate water supplies for 

 stock in the fall and winter, but, here again, the evidence points to a 

 pretty faithful supply of this dairy farm necessity by means of natu- 

 ral springs. 



Prom twenty-five years of observation, the average amount of snow- 

 fall at Bethlehem is recorded as 81.1 inches, while at Hanover, over a 

 period of thirty-six years, it has averaged 71.8. 



The average date for the last killing frost in spring is reported by 

 the Bethlehem station as May 22, and the first in the fall as September 

 19. The corresponding dates at Hanover are May 17 and September 

 28. This allows for 119 days of growing season in one case, and 133 

 days in the other. Part of this two-weeks' difference is due to latitude 

 and considerable to altitude. The elevation at the southern station is 

 603 feet and at the northern one 1,470. The real growing season is 

 probably somewhat shorter than is apparent from these figures, due to 

 the fact that relatively continuous cool weather prevails. Cool nights, 

 especially, inhibit the growtli of heat-loving plants like corn to an eas- 



