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116 STORRS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
BY) C.°S.: PHELPS. 
ee 
The meteorological observations made at the Storrs Station 
during 1893 have been similar to those of past years. The 
Station equipment consists of the ordinary instruments for ob- 
taining temperature, pressure of the air, humidity, rainfall and 
snowfall, uniform with those used by voluntary observers for the 
U.S. Weather Service. In addition to the records mademat 
Storrs, the rainfall for the growing season has been recorded by 
farmers conducting field experiments for the Station, and a few 
other voluntary observers. 
The rainfall for the year, as measured at the Station (46.7 in.), 
is a little below the average of the State. The average for six 
Connecticut stations of the New England Meteorological Society, 
having records covering a period of ten or more years prior to 
1890, is 49.1 inches. The records at Storrs for the five years 
ending with 1893, give an average of 46.8 inches. 
The precipitation was largest during May and smallest during 
the months of June, July, and the first half of August. It will 
be noticed that the rainfall was deficient during just that portion 
of the year when most needed by the greater part of our common 
farm crops. ‘These conditions caused great injury to such crops 
as corn, potatoes, grass and tobacco. 
The temperature for the first two months of the year was con- 
siderably below the average, and the snowfall was quite heavy 
during the latter part of the winter. 
The spring opened a little later than usual. The last damag- 
ing frost occurred May 8th. The summer months were charac- 
terized by frequent drying winds and a moderate temperature, 
with light rainfall till after the middle of August. 
Light frost appeared on. low ground Sept. 3d. The first 
killing frost occurred Oct. 17th. This gave a growing season of 
161 days since the last damaging frost in the spring, while the 
average growing season, since the Station began its observations 
in 1888, is 145 days. 


