FIVE DEGREES OF FROST

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21436, 30 March 1935, Page 22

FIVE DEGREES OF FROST

WHITE COVERING ON LAWNS Residents of , Christchurch were sharply reminded of the approach of winter yesterday jmorning by a frost of 5.1 degrees. The frost was felt in most of Hie suburbs, and although many lawns were snowy white, no great amount of damage was done to gardens. Tomatoes, marrows, pumpkins, and beans suffered in some cases, and gardeners were disappointed to find flowers streaked and blackened in places. Fortunately, most tobacco crojrj in Canterbury will have been harvested by now, but any late crops -will, probably have been affected, as 1 his crop is particularly susceptible to Irost. Precautions were taken by some gardeners who correctly interpreted The clear sky and the coldness of the atmosphere on Thursday night, but in the majority of flower gardens there is Jittle to be damaged by frost at .he present time. Gardens on the flat showed the worst effec.ts, areas about the foothills around Heathcote showing no sign of frost at all. Owing to the drought, many pests have appeared in the gardens, and if frosts are not "too severe, they will be welcomed as a means of exterminating them. The record frost for March during the last 25 years was in 1930, when nine degrees were registered. .Records show that the average number of frosts ■which may be expected in March is three, although in 1919 eight were recorded. The first frost this year on January 22, was sharper than yesterday morning's by a slight margin, 5.8 degrees being registered.