Salt Lake Tribune | 1918-03-30 | Page 22 | Frost may Damage too Early Gardens

FROST M DAMAGE " too wmm J. Cecil Alter of Weather Bureau Warns Against Planting Dangers. That the spirit of war gardens is more alive in Salt Lake today than ever is proven by the activity in plowing, digging and planting in every section of the city, as shown by a careful eur. vey; but tnere is a danger in early planting of many vegetables, as was pointed out yesterday by J. Cecil Alter meteorologist, in charge of the local weather bureau, in a conference, with Commissioner C. Clarence Keelen. It was pointed out that from the records in the local weather office there was still much danger of frost, despite the fine weather of the last ten davs or two weeks. While the freezoing point is 32 degrees, de-grees, it was pointed out by Mr. Alter that a5 degrees usually means freezing in the lower prarts of 'the valley. During Dur-ing the forty-three years th'o local weather bureau has been established the last "killing frost" has varied over a period of three months. The last "killing "kill-ing frost" in 1 J 3 .1 was on March 9. while a-year later, ll'lli, the last "killing "kill-ing frost" was on Mav II. The latest severe frost was on June 18, 189.1. Dur ing the last forty-three years the average aver-age date of the last damaging trust has been April 20. Divided jit to months the record shows the following numbers bv months: March, 4; April, 27; Mav.'ll; June. 1. " Commissioner Neslen advises that those who aro preparing to plant a garden gar-den make a studv of tho data which appeared in The Tribune of March 27, in which the bent dates for the planting of various kinds of vegetables is given. The national war garden commission has prepared a manual, which contains valuable information fur all who expect to plant a garden this ve.'ir. Copies of this manual may be obtained freo by applying at room 5, City and County building.