426 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. MARCH, 1912
on all drabage areas ; in Arizona marked excesses occurred , and in parts of Colorado the month waa the wettest March of record. The amount of precipitation exceeded that of last October, the month of disastrous floods. There was this difference, however: I n October most of the fall occurred in two days in the form of rain, while the pre- cipitation in March was principally in the form of snow that fell almost daily over the greater part of the district. I n Colorado there was no clay without precipitation; in Utah and Arizona, only two days without; and in New Mexico, only three days without precipitation in some part of the area. The greatest monthly atnount was 11.64 mchcs at Uncompahgre Plateau, Colo., and the least, 0.07
inch, a t Hermanes, N. Mex. Monthly snowfalls of 30
inches or more occurred at one statmion. in Wyoming, 27
in Colorado, 4 in eastern Utah, and 2 in Arizona. Tho maximum fall, 102 inches, occurred a t Uncompahgre
station, Montrose County, Colo. The average precipitation and departures from the normal on the different watersheds are given in the fol- lowing table:
The average number of days with 0.01 inch or more precipitation was 7 in western Wyoming; 15 in western Colorado; 11 in eastern Utah; 7 in western New Mexico; 7 in Arizona; and 10 in southeastern Nevada. For the district as a whole the average was 10,days.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The amount of sunshine was considerably below the normal. At Grand Junction it was 50 per cent of the possible; Durango, 58; Phoenix, 73; and Yuma, 80. The relative humidity was materially higher than the average. The following are the values : Grand Junction, 67: Duraiigo, 67; Phoenis, 66; and Yunia, 40 per cent.
SNOWFALL I N THE MOUNTAINS.
Western Il>toming.-The siiowfnll was above the nor-
mal and was reported well packed. The amount of snow a t the headwaters of tlie west,ern tribut,aries of the Green is said to be the heaviest in years.
Western Colorado.-On the drainage of the Pampa and White the snowfall was close to the average; on the other
watersheds, except in Summit County, in the upper reaches of the Grand, the snowfall waa unusually heavy. Large drifts are common, and numerous destructive snow- slides occurred in the southwestern counties. I n general the snow contains a large percentage of moisture, and while fairly well packed, there is a general absence of layers of crust, and melting will be ra id. At the end of
altitude 8,700 feet 43 inches, was 17 inches greater; for the Gunnison, 8,800 feet 36 inches, or 7 inches greater; for the Yampa and White, 7,900 feet, 40 inches, or 21 inches greater; and for the San Juan and Dolores, 7,900 feet 18 inches, or 2 inches greater than a t the correspond- ing date last year. Emtern Utah.--There was a material increase in tlic! amount of moisture stored in the mountains. The ground is well saturated and, the prospects for irrigation water is
March the average depth on tlie Gran B watershed, average
--
much improved. Western New Mexico.-The San Juan Valley and north- western part of the State had a the lower country and a good snowfall in
outlook for early water, although tains. Much soil moisture hns
scarcity unless good rains continue. Arizona.-The snowfall in the mountain districts of thc north and north-central portions of the State was unusu-
ally heavy.
TEMPERATURES INJURIOUS TO PEACHES, APPLES, AND
PEARS I N VARIOUS STAQES OF DEVELOPMENT.
A committee a ointed by the Fruit Growers Associa- tion of the Oranfballey, Colorado, to advise owers in reference to smudging and to render them a possible assistance in the matter of supplying volunteer he p, etc., made an investigation of temperatures injurious to
peaches, apples, and pears in various stages of develop- ment, and report as follows:
Table ahowing at what temperature smudging is neeessay in the variima
stages of developinent of peach buds.
Peachee one-fourth inch in diameter ... . . . . . -. . . . - - -. . - - - - - 1 30
Dropping the ahuck. - - _’. . . . - - -. . -. . -. . . - -. . . . . . . . - - - - -. - - 31 Set?. - - -: - . - -. . . - - - - - -. - . . -. . . - - -. . . -. - -. . . . - - - - -. -. . - - 31
Full b oom .__.._. . . . - -. - - -. . - -. . . . . -. . . . -. __. . .. -. . . . - -. . 29 to 30
22 Buds swelling ... . - -. - ___ ___. . . . . . . -. . - - -. . -. -. - -. -. - -. - -. - - 15 -15
Table &owing at what temperature smud ing is nixesemy in the vanow
Calyxclosed ................................................... 30 Flower gone, calyx closing ______._.__ -. -. . . . -. - -. -. - - - - - - - - - - - 30 Petale dropping.. - - - - -. -. . . . . . - - - -. - - - -. . . . . -. . . -. . - - - -. - - - - - - 31
Fruit forming ................................................... 30
Fullbloom .._____._.._.......________.__....._____________._-- 30 Buds in the pink ..._____..__ - - -. . . . . . -. . -: - -. - - - -. . . - - - -. . . . - - - 25
Buds separat mg... . . . . . - - - - - - - - - -. . . . . . -. . . . - __ - -. -. -. - - - - -. 20 Buds swelling ..________._ . -. . . . . . . -. - -. . . - - -. . . -. . . - -. - - -. . . - 15
.
OF.
Buds in pink. - - ..._.._. . -. - - - - - - - -. . -. . . . . . -. . - __. . -. . -. -.
Buds dormant. . - -. - -. -. . . . . -. - - - - - -. -. -. . . -. - - -. . -. - -. - - -
atagea of development of a p p l and pear bwls. OF.