The Republican journal., 1876-01-06
Farm, Garden and Household,
Effects of Frost.

IT. j. E." OF Chester county, Pa, writes
to the Country Gentleman Many of my
readers have no doubt noted the unequal
effects of late spring or early fall trosts.
In some cases the crop in one field suffers
more than in another A few hills here
and there in :; corn field are killed to the
ground, or in some eases one STALK III II
hin is killed and others escape. Hoaf
or white frost is essentially frozen de",
and any cause which would increase the
deposit of dew. would also increase the
amount of frost. and hence OF damage. we
know that the deposit of dew is influenced
by a variety of local circumstances. Two
similar soils, one compact ana the other
made loose by mechanical means, VIII
show q very material difference in the
amount of dew The greater the differ
euce in temperature between the soil and
The mir. the greater will be the deposit OF
dew Usually. low and moist situations
increase the amount 0t dew. Spots. which
from local causes may be protected from
the wind. VIII receive the most dew, and
All these causes have probably an equal
effect ilpou the amount OF frost, and hence
ON The extent ot damage.
it is equally true that plants OF the same
kind show very different results after eX-
posture to frost After we carefully exam
inc these effects. think we will conclude
that they are owing, mostly, not to any
different decree of frost or of constitu-
tjnuaI viror in the plant, but to the man
ner in which the frost is removed from the
),Iant II two tomato plants are exposed
To equal degrees OF white frost, ana Ii pc
tore sunrise one Of them is protected by
two strips of board on the south and east
sides. the chances are that Ii Will not sui
ter ut all, OF ut least not IN the same de-
cree as the one not SO protected. Any
plan by which the frost can be removed
without producing too great an increase
I'm the temperature Of the plant VIII pt
cflectual. Dashing with cold water, lhaW
inc IN the shade, or covering with eaf1h
aI produce similar results in similar way ;
Ii is also evident shat local causes have
nuch to do in influencing the effect OF Sc
we're cold upon plants. Halt hardy plants
hayno southern or southeastern expos
ure. often suffer worse during winters o
unusual severity. than plants of the sall'
Kind with northern on northwestern eN
insure This is probably due to the lac
that i'm the first ease the plant has no pro
lection from the rising sun, whose ray
strike the plant and produce that auddel
chance OF temperature which proves SO IN
iurioIs In the second case, the safety /
dine to- the reverse state Of affairs. In
plant is in some measure protected by II
pnsition from this sudden change OF TEN
ucrature. and does not attain the same de
grce OF warmth until Its surroundings hay
also been warmed.
Last winter was usually productive 0
uwlutor killed. raspberries and grape
vines and this has been charged to tn
low Temperature which several times pre-
vailed. Raspberry plants with ali inch Q
two of earth on them came out safe, wit
Others close by (not so protected) dlet
But did this slight covering OF earth pre-
vent the low temperature? 1t IS proDabl
that in this case these plants had to Will
stand quite as great Il degree OF cold a
those not protected. Is it not very llSel'
that the damage known as winter XII
ing." often proceeds from evaporatlo
rather than from low temperature
During the whole winter, moisture
evaporated or given of by the stalks an
branches. but if from any cause this eval
nration or loss exceeds the supply, tn
plant dries up and death ensues Durln
much OF last winter high wind increase
the evaporation OF loss, while hard fro.
en- soil diminished the supply. l think
few wears of observation will convince III
readers that windy weather, when aceon
panied BY frozen soil. isqulte as prodn
live of winter killing rs low temperatur