SEVEN DEGREES OF FROST

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 208, 18 September 1937, Page 4

SEVEN DEGREES OF FROST

Slight Damage to Orchards and Gardens EARLY PLUMS AFFECTED The first severe spring frost — one of seven degrees — ^brought slight damage to orchards and gardens around Hastings this morning. In one or two instances damage was done to early plums, but such cases seeax to have been rare and the damage not extensive. Most of the fruit is not sufficiently formed yet to be susceptible to frost damage, and it is a little too early to affect the blossoms on the peaches. Many ' orckardists lit fires in their orchards when the temperature bega% to fall last night, and in this way a certain amount of damage was probabiy avoided in the more exposed portiouS of the distriet. Many gardeners also ,took precautions by covering their plants. Others were less f ortunate and had their early vegetables nipped. Mr. A. L. Baumgart, secretary of tke Hawke's Bay Fruitgrowers' Association, said this morning that though ke kad not heard of any daoxage ke would be surprised if a certain amount had not occurred to plum trees, although it would be a little too early to affect tke peack blossoms. Mr. N. J. Adamson, Government orchard instructor, expressed similar views, although ke thought any damage wkick might have occurred would be slight. He kad heard of none. Although slight damage has occurred in isolated cases most orphardists over a wide area from whorn inquiries were made this morning reported that they had suffered no damage. At Pukahu there was a slight "thin" as far as plums were concerned, and anything well advanced and from which the bloom had fallen suffered, but the amount of damage was described as negligible. At Havelock the frost was keavier but reports from there indicated only slight 'damage, and at Fernhill it was reported that even p'otatoes in an advanced state had escaped. At Haumoana the frost seems to have been much less severe than in other parts, and even the tenderest growth came through unharmed. Pakowhai orchardists said that their plums and other stone fruit were not sufficiently advanced to be liable to frost damage. A number of slight frosts of two or three degrees have been experienced this month, and now that the surrounding ranges are fairly lieavily coated with snow further frosts may be expected.