Evening star., 1942-03-28
Of Stors, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Laboratory, Field
And Study
By Thomas r. Henrv.
Spring really Is on the way.

~ tOUtuo ~. aSTV.
Spring really is on the way.
Hidden by cold, snow squalls, sleet and
icy rain. the season is moving . few
miles north every day, according to rec
ords just compiled by the United States
Weather Bureau.
A new almanac OF the progress OF
spring comes from these records, based
on the actual average northward move
ment Of temperature every year for
nearly half a century.
A good criterion that spring actually
has come to locality is the practical
certainty, based on statistics, that hence
forth freezing weather can be expected
only one year In 10. Hence farmers can
start planting with reasonable assurance
that their crops will not be blighted.
This freezing line moves northward at
predictable rate.
I'm the transition march OF tempera-
ture from the midwinter low. occurring
in most sections about the middle Of
January. the irregular and often pro-
nounced variations from day to day dis
guise the normal trend" says the Wealth.
er Bureau report on the study Thus a.
perceptible warming up, even during the
period OF greatest normal rise, is not
readily apparent until a considerable
lapse Of time.
However, averages for long period
OF years show a rather uniform, progress
sive day to-day rise in temperature. very
slight at first after the midwinter low,
but increasing to a pronounced pace
about midspring. and followed by
slower rate OF rise to midsummer con-
ditions.
The time OF the beginning Of spring
temperature varies considerably in diff
ferent parts of the country In the
extreme Southwest and a large South
western area. except the Pacific Coast,
and extending northwestward over the
great valley of California and Nevada,
the first calculable rise begins early in
January. In other parts of the South
and in a belt extending northwestward
to the North Pacific area. the rise, small
at first. begins during the second decade
Of January From the Middle Atlantic
States westward and northwestward to
the Northern Plains 1t begins during the
third week OF that month.
I'm the middle and upper Lake region
and in the Northeast the beginning is
delayed until the first of February. Thus
there is approximately months differ
ence in springs start between some
Southeastern and Southwestern sections
and considerable Northeastern area.
The spring temperature increase is
most rapid during the second half OF
March, except in the Northeastern States
where 1t is delayed until the first half
Of April. The acceleration is much
greater in the interior Northern States
than in the South, the average increase
during the last half of March in the
former being about S5 degrees, and about
degrees in the latter.
The most important aspect OF the
spring rise in temperature, especially
in relation to agriculture. is the decreas-
Ing frequency of temperatures as low
as freezing. The time when spring crops
can be planted safely has a direct rela-
ton to these occurrences"
A series of maps prepared by j. B.
Kincer. chief of the Genealogical Di-
vision Of the Weather Bureau shows that
by March l farmers in the southern
half OF Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and
Georgia and in all but northern strip
Of Louisiana can plant with assurance
that there will be freezing weather only
one year out OF 10.
BY April l the line has moved north
to include all of these Southern States,
nearly all Of Arkansas, the southern half
of Tennessee. all of South Carolina and
the eastern half Of North Carolina
Two weeks later the line extends from
through the southern halves of Nebraska,
Missouri. Illinois and Indiana, cuts off
corner of Southern Ohio, dips south
to leave out West Virginia, and then
turns north to include in the spring belt
nearly all Of Virginia, Maryland, Della
ware and Eastern Pennsylvania.
BY Mey 1 spring has advanced to in
clude all the country except the north
ern tips Of the Lake States, northern
New England and big pocket in the
Northern Rockies.
Spring has arrived everywhere by
May Is.
The red currant. long one OF Amer
ica's favorite preserve ingredients but
banned for the past few years because
1t endangered the $400 900 900 white pine
crop by aiding the spread OF rust. may
be restored as result of researches Of
a Department Of Agriculture scientist
at Yale.
Eleven years ago Clam G. Hahn Of
the Bureau of Plant Industry discov-
cred in Norway a commercial red cur
rant which Norwegian scientists believed
to be immune to the European blister
rust. Specimens were brought to the
United States and have been tested in
New York, New England. Oregon and
Canada, the principal infection areas.
They apparently have proven completely
resistant to the disease.
In 1919 the red currant Industry
utilized 1879 acres of land in the United
States. Ten years later this acreage
had been cut more than In half.
Advocates Freezing" Contracts
Eo, nuro kiov, ~ fha War