22 STORRS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 
is somewhat below the average. In May there was but .50 
of an inch recorded at Storrs, and a similar condition existed 
throughout a greater part of the State. This is 3.5 inches less 
than the average for this month for the past fifteen years. 
June, however, made up this deficiency with 9.24 inches. This 
is 6.73 inches in excess of the average for June as shown by 
the records of the past fifteen years. During the remaining 
months the rainfall was not far from normal. 
The mean temperature for the year was 46.8°, which is cate 
.2 below the average for the past fifteen years. March, April, 
and May, however, were much warmer than usual, especially 
March, which had a mean of 6.7 higher than the average. 
June, however, was 5.7° colder than the average for the past 
fifteen years. August was 5.5 above, and the other months 
did not vary greatly from the fifteen year averages. 
The spring season opened far in advance of the usual time. 
Snow and frost disappeared early in March, and in many parts 
of the State much plowing was done during this month. There 
was an abundance of precipitation and an unusually high tem- 
perature, so that the season opened from two to three weeks in 
advance of the average. During April the advance was not so 
rapid, and the rainfall was small. By the early part of May 
the conditions for crop production became serious because of 
the exceptionally small rainfall, there being less than one inch 
in most parts of the State, and in some parts barely a quarter 
of an inch fell during the entire month. The ground became 
so dry that seed failed to germinate, and pastures began to dry 
up. Strawberries ripened prematurely as a result of the dry 
weather, and were on the market two to three weeks in ad- 
vance of the usual time. The drought continued until the 
second week in June, and was followed by unusual rains 
amounting to 9.25 inches before the first of July. Many dry 
meadows and much early hay had been practically ruined be- 
fore the rain came, but the later grasses picked up with un- 
usual rapidity, so that grass which was not cut until July gave 
a much better yield than was supposed to be possible before the 
rains began. On account of the unfavorable weather during 
July and August, corn and other crops were very backward. 
September and October were favorable for late growth, but 
corn was unable to make up for the unfavorable conditions 

