The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-04-16

early vegetables, fruit trees
and spring flowers. Although
grain was said to have es-
capped damage, H. E. Abbott,
Marion County agricultural
agent, said that if the cold
continued. oats which have been in
the ground three weeks would have
to be replanted.
Tonight the farmers Tere faced
with another staggering blow as the
United states Weather Bureau fore
cast a heavy frost and continued
cold.
Beets, cabbage, rhubarb. peas and
carrots we're nipped severely last
night. Marion County farmers
waited for the sun to appear before
being able to estimate the total
damage to the crops.
{ Peach orchardistS anticipated
heavy losses because smudges set
out last night were blown about by
strong winds from the Northwest.
Unguarded pear, plum and apple
trees were reported ruined IN soma
sectors.
Not content with blowing gales
over the state and sending tenn
peratures far below the freezing
mark, the weather tonight will send
another shivering blast over In
diana, the United States Weather
Bureau forecast. A damaging frost
will accompany the cold.
Lashing winds drove snow f1urries
throughout the streets yesterday and
last night. Less than an inch was
recorded. Although the normal
temperature for today is 50, the
mercury fell to rs at $3.50 last night
in indianapolis. At today the
temperature was 80. 1t had risen
to 33 at noon. Weather fore
casters predicted that by late tomor-
row the temperature again would re-
turn to normal.
Cold Spell Is Aid
There are approximately 100000
peach trees spread out over $4,000
acres in Gibson, Pike and Knox
Counties in southwestern Indiana.
In 1881 the crop was valued at
s814,000, an exceptionally good year.
Indiana peaches have been noted for
their quality rather than their guam
tity, Mr.. Justin said. Some of the
finest peach orchards in the country
are located near Vincennes.
A cold wave killing of so per
cent of the peach blooms is not par
ticularly damaging to the peach
crop, because there are too many
blooms on the trees early in the
spring. Mr.. Justin said. IF all the
blooms matured, the trees would be
over-crowded and produce a medi-
ocre type Of fruit"
LAS a result, many orchardistS
look forward to at least one late
cold spell to kill off excess blooms
and insure a crop Of large, luscious
peaches.
THE smudges which are kept 60
ing through the entire cold wave
raise the temperatures at least
degrees if the wind is not blowing
with too high velocity. The peach
orchards would not be affected seri-
ously unless the mercury fell at
least 5 degrees below freezing"
Florists Report Damage
A cold wave coming this late in
the spring is not exceptional in In
diana. During the last 10 years
several such cold periods have oc-
CURED. Late in May. 1925, corn
and tomatoes were killed by an ex-
treme cold spell.
Amateur orchardi5Js near Indi-
ana suffered irreparable losses due
to the cold. because few. if any, had
smudge pots available. Throughout
the city back yard peach trees
dropped from the cold, their dead
blossoms falling of on the snow
covered ground.
Many early flowers, encouraged
by warm weather, had budded earl
Ter and were blighted by the severe
temperatures the last two days.
Florists with outdoor gardens took
extra precautions last night TO save
their flowers from ruin. Several To-
cal florists reported that the daffo-
dis, rock garden plants, peaches.
plums and pears were frozen last