Evening star., 1944-07-09
Heavy Drought Loss
Feared 10 Maryland
And Virginia Crops
Roin Needed in Next
Few Doys; Mercury Hits
80 Degrees in CopitoI

Concern Tor crops IN virginia
Maryland and severely affected Mid.
western States continued to grow
yesterday In the face of increasingl!
serious drought conditions, whil'
Washington, experiencing an 88
degree temperature after severa
days in the upper eos, had hope o
getting q cooling afternoon thun
dershover today.
Farm experts predicted heav,
damage to truck and Victory gar.
dens, rs well as hay. corn and othel
crops unless rain falls within tn,
next few days. The onicial forecas
for Washington called for con.
tinued humid weather" with som,
indications Of a thundershower thi.
afternoon.
Temperature Of Ss Here.
Beginning At a low of 73 degrees
recorded at 5:45 am, the ther.
mometer rose steadily to 80 at
pm. when 1t began to go down
Light bresses during the day helped
somewhat relieve the swelterine
population.
While lack Of = heavy rainfall
has cut into the water supply tt
some extent. District residents have
not yet been asked to curtail theil
use Of it either for household O,
lawn and garden purposes. Ir
nearby Falls Church, Arlington and
Alexandra. however, curbs were put
on sprinkling lawns and gardens
In Montgomery County, civilian de-
fense ofhcials have begun a program
Of watering Victory gardens.
No sign Of a break in the heat
wave, extending all over the country
east OF the Rockies. was visible yes
terday and crop experts pointed out
soaring heat was beginning to dry
out subsurface moisture.
Most seriously affected was com.
mercial and victory garden vege-
table production in the Midwest
where an Associated Press dispatch
quoted Prof. H. D. Brown of Ohio
State University, secretary of the
Vegetable Growers Association OF
America, As predicting that current
damage would prevent gardeners ir
Ohio. Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee
Michigan and many other States
from meeting quotas set by the Wal
Food Administration.
Overall production has been cut
30 per cent in that region, Prof
Brown declared, while some veee.
tables, such as cabbage, beans anc
sweet corn were on so per cent.
Maryland Pastures Hurt.
At Hagerstown, Nd, r. c. r
Weagley, president of the Stat.
Farm Bureau, told the Associated
Press dry weather already had hurt
pastures and late corn and hay
crops. Many more days OF con.
tinued dryness would be disastrous
he indicated.
The University of Maryland CroE
Reporting Service said the situation
had reached the point where seriou.
drought damage could take place
In the next few days.
Mayor Hugh v. Gittinger Of Fred.
erick called on the city's resident.
to economic in the use of water fol
lawn sprinkling purposes. explain.
ing there was no indication when
the hot, dry spell would end.
Frederick County Agent Henry r
Shoemaker told the Associated Prsss
he did not believe any permanent
damage to truck crops generally had
been done as yet. but said rain wa.
needed in the next few days.
Parched districts of Virginia re.
ceived . trace of rain yesterday, but
not enough to dispel the drought
threat. Richmond had its first rain.
fan In Is days. while Lynchburg
Danville and Winchester reportee
brief showers.
In the Shenandoah Valley. which
enjoyed good crop growing weather
during early summer months, corr
was reported In serious condition
from lack Of water. Apples ans
peaches had not been affected.
Baltimore oficials reported tha
the heat, together with last sum
mer's long dry spell, had resulte,
IN . loss Of nearly half the tree
and shrubs planted In the last tw,
years. -