Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-06-24
rrosts In Ohio Since 1zza.

The following table Of uutimely frosts, in
Washington county Ohio, since the first settle
ment, in 1778, was furnished to the Marietta
News, by DIR. S. p. Hildreth, of that city. 1t
will be found quite interesting
The earliest frost, of which there is any re-
cord was May Sd, 1905. It had been very
early spring and the apples were of the size of
musket balls, and every other kind of fruit and
vegetation in the same proportion. On the I'd
of May there fell three or four inches of snow.
All the fruit was destroyed and as the farmers
then planted their corn by the middle of April,
it was probably three or four inches high.
Judge Henry jolly speaks of a frost the Sd
Of june 1774. He was then a boy, and living
near the present town of Washington, Pa. 1t
cut down all the corn, and destroyed the leaves
of various kinds of forest trees.
The year 1916 was noted for its low temper
ature, there being more or less frosts every
month during the spring and summer. The
crops were very short.
But the most remarkable year for severe
frost was that of 1884. The month of April
had been uncommonly warm-the nedn for the
month being 5504l. By the 25th, the forest
trees were in full leaf. After cold rain in the
night, on the morning of the 27th the mercury
fell to 80 deg, killing all tender plants, and the
leaves of many trees. From this time to the
18th of May the weather wasmd. On the 10Th
it sunk to 80 deg, the / 3th to 80 deg, 18th to
29 deg, 18th to % deg. 18th to 80 deg, and
18th to 30 deg. On the 10Th it rose to Al deg.
at sunrise. This continued series of frost de-
stroyed all kinds of fruit and vegetation in the
fields of the farmers, and the gardens in town
There were no apples i'll this county, and but
few On Hutchinsons island two miles below
Marietta The wheat was nearly as forward
as it was this year, but mostly in the blossom.
The head turned white like plant dried in the
sun. A general CONSERVATION pervaded the
community, thinking famine must follow
Many farmers plowcd their fields and planted
them with corn; others let them alone anil
were rewarded for their forbearance by toler-
able Weld of grain. The stools left unharmed
in the ground threw up fresh shoots, more nu-
merous, but not so tall as the first, and per-
fected the seed but a month or two later than
usual. The cornfields were rcplanted and the
WARM weather and timely rains of June pro
duced a fair crop of all such things rs were
committed to the earth. -
Severe frosts often come in April, and early
in May destroying the fruit crops, but this is
small affair compared with the staples of life,
such as wheat corn, and potatoes--wfen these
are taken away, or very materially lessened in
quantity they have caused man to feel anxiety,
| if not alarm.
On the I'd of June, 1843, the mercury fell to
"a deg. in the morning, with a smart frost in
the country, and making Ice ON a bowl Of water
near half an inch thick-killing beans, corn,
potatoes, &c, but not materially iniuring the
wheat Melons had to be rcplantcd and many
other things. Indian corn Is endowed with a
vitality, when young, above that of all other
grains. Even wheH the foliage is destroyed, il
the root is uninjured, it springs up again with
apparently new 1igor, and perlects its seed in
due season.
On the 30th and 31st of May, in l845, the
mercury fell to 81 deg, on each morning; cut
ting down all the corn, potatoes, &c, but moi
materially damaging the, wheat.
The temperature at Marietta, on the morn