Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 16, Number 46, DeMotte, Jasper County, 4 October 1946 — FIRST FROST NIPS CROPS OVER STATE [ARTICLE]

FIRST FROST NIPS CROPS OVER STATE

Heavy Loss Feared as Indiana Chills; perts Say Severe Cold Would Wipe Out Tomatoes The first frost of autumn struck Indiana and several other Mid-Western states early this week, threatening disastrous damage to crops and sending thermometers in Indianapolis and most of the state plummeting. As the temperature in Indianapolis slipped downward at the rate of one degree an hour early last night, jthe Weather Bureau station at Weir Cook Airport forecast a low of about 40 degrees early this morning. Farm experts predicted that approximately one-third of Indiana’s late tomato crop might be wiped out if the frost were heavy. F. C. Gaylord, assistant head of the Purdue University ’ horticulture department, said damage to both tomato and corn crops would be extensive if the mercury dropped to the freezing point. Of Marion County’s entire tomato crop, about 30 per cent yet unpicked might be ruined if the' frost were heavy, C. J. (Pat) Murphy, assistant county agriculture agent, said. The bean and fruit crops including apples, were believed sufficiently matured to withstand all but freezing temperatures, Mr. Gaylord said. The wave of frost, which started, '.tn Minnesota and upper Wisconsin, late Saturday, was moving south to blanket lowa, Hindis, Indiana and .most of Ohio early last night. Minnesota was the hardest hit with temperatures dropping there to between 29 and 32 degrees Minneapolis reported a low of 35. The sudden cool wave in Indianapolis caused the city’s citizens to begin buttoning up their coats and placing orders for their winter coal supplies. Coal buyers were warned by Harry Rogers, executive secretary of the Indinapolis Coal Merchants Association, to get their orders in early in to avoid a last minute jam by coat merchants in filling order*. Coal stockpiles were about normal, but only 30 per cent of orders for winter coal have bees placed as compared to a normal of 45 .per cent at this time of year, Mr. Rogers said.