THE WEATHER IN MARCH

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27626, 5 April 1955, Page 9

THE WEATHER IN MARCH

LINCOLN COLLEGE REPORT

March was dry and fine but not partciularly sunny, says the report prepared at Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, on the weather during the month. Rainfall was over an inch below average. Rapid grass growth early in the month eased in later weeks.

Cultivation is up to date. Top work before deep ploughing haS been carried out but as the ground was drier than normal most worked ground is inclined to be cloddy. Late cuts of lucerne hay were successfully saved from mid-month onwards. Fine weather has resulted in an early start being made with general farm maintenance jobs. Stock health has been satisfactory; ewes have been crutched and flushed and rams put out for mating. Following is a summary of observations made at the college with figures for March last year given in parenthesis. Readings were taken at 9 a.m.— Mean humidity (per cent), 75.7 (72); mean maximum temperature, in degrees Fahrenheit, 68.5 (69.5); highest maximum temperature (March 6), 83.2 (82.7); mean minimum temperature, 48.3 (50.9); lowest minimum temperature (March 16), 32.8 (42.4) mean grass minimum temperature, 41.7 (43.4); lowest grass minimum temperature (March 16), 28.0 (35.7); mean temperature for month, 58.4 (60.2); mean range of temperature for month. 20.2 (8.6); mean earth temperaturte (Bin), 57.5 (59.5) days of frost, 2 (nil). Rainfall (inches), 1.02 (2428); rainfall to date, 4.93 (4.70); hours of sunshine, 166.9 (164.5)..

Mean amount of cloud (1-8), 5.03 (5.7); miles of wind, 7346 (8512); mean force of wind, 3.25 (2.8). The station mean maximum temperature is 66.7 degrees; minimum, 47.3 degrees; mean for March, 57 degrees; sun--shine, 1784) hours; rainfall, 2.18 in.