Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-03-16
Freak Cold Seasons.


abnormal in Oregon. but not by any
means unprecedented. While in gen
eral, as shown by the records of the
Weather Bureau In more recent years,
and as preserved by the memories of
pioneers of an earlier era, mild Win
ters in the Pacific Northwest glide nat
urally into balmy Spring, there have
been exceptions to this rule, one OF
which we are now experiencing though
not enjoying
Harking back to the Winter of '62, it
is remembered that severe weather in
February worked great hardship on the
farmers Of the Willamette valley, and
and especially in the foothills, where
the snow lay in drifts until we'll along
in April, swept from the lowlands by
sharp gales, leaving the yolng wheat
exposed and later throwing its roots, by
alternate freezing and thawiug, out of
the ground. Fields were reseeded in
the Spring, however, and harvest con-
ditions were normal. Again in 1878
severe March storms prevailed in East
ern Oregon, and to lesser degree in
the Willamette valley The loss OF
stock on the ranges was excessive, as
up to that time no provision for Winter
feeding had been made.
In March, 1882, snow fell to a depth
of several inches in the Willamette
Valley, accompanied by temperature
that was below the freezing point for
several days. All went we'll with the
crops, however, there being the usual
Fall abundance, both of grain and fruit.
Again in 1898. u warm January caused
the buds to swell prematurely; orchards
bloomed bravely, and rose bushes and
other plants sent out tender shoots of
pink and red and delicate bronze. Win
ter, mocking the confidence he had en-
couraged in the vegetable world, turned
treacherously upon his traces in early
February and gave vegetation setback
from which it did not fully recover un-
til June. There were no roses for Dec
Grafton day that year, but later there
was the usual abundance of bloom.
1t is well TO remember in all of these
instances that harvest brought, not the
: usual abundance, at least an aboundiHg
| plenty, and that no failure of crops, as
) incident to abnormal weather condi-
tons in February and March is recorded
} 1t is frequently said that the climate
of Oregon has changed in the past fifty
or sixty years. There is little warrant
in fact for this assertion. There has
been, as above shown, now and then n
year in which abnormal weather condi-
, tions have prevailed for Il time at one
season or another. But this is nothing
new, nor is it confined to the climate
of Oregon or of the Pacific Northwest.
The late Amos Cook of Yamhill county
often recalled that on the morning fol-
. lowing the first night that he slept
rolled up in his blankets on what was
| afterward his farm on the bank of the
Yamhill river opposite Lafayette, he
! awoke TO iind the grass and shrubbery
stiff with hoar frost. The date was
l June lG, 1910, Beans and other tender
l garden plants, even potato vines, were
cut To the ground aud had to be re-
t planted but he added that good
, growing Summer with occasional rains
5 followed and, though vegetables were
1 late, there was great abundance.
There were only native fruits at that
4 time, and the wild Strawberries, lus-
, cious and abundant, had ripened before
, the June frost OF the rest no mention
Q was made.
Other pioneers are on record with
similar "reminiscences. These incidents,
, together vii b the records of later years,
: prove the simple fact that there is now
, and then freak season IN Oregon
, disappointing while it lasts, but pro-
ducing no serious consequences. In
the main, however, year after year,
: balmy Springs have succeeded mild,
rainy winters, to be in turn succeeded
= by growing, delightful Summers and
, fruitful Autumns This is the full and
{ well-attested record Of Oregon's match.
less climate Oregonian.