New York Weather Bureau. 467 



•were derived from tlie reports lof the Signal Service. iSome data 

 liitlherto puiblisbed have not ibeen included in the taible, owing to 

 uncertainty as to the severity of the frosfts reported. 



The dates of table 14 have been computed fromi the observa- 

 tions of frosts which were obtained under the first portion of the 

 ^ew York Kegents' system (1826-1850). No information could be 

 obtained by the winter as to the severity of the frosts reported; 

 but, from the evidence of the records themselves, it appears prob- 

 able that both light and killing frostsi were included im many 

 caises. The results have a value, however, in fixing the earliest 

 average date on which killing frosts may 'have occurned during 

 the periods which they represent. 



Efforts to obtain records of frosts fromi numerousi additional 

 points in the State were mainly unsuccessful; but iseveral of the 

 persows applied to kindly forwarded general; informatioin which 

 may properly be included here. 



The Hudson Valley. — Dr. James Hyatt, of Honeymead Brook, 

 central Dutchess county, istates that " injuriousi 0old waves and 

 late spring froists likely to damage fruits and crops are those 

 which, for! the moist part, in this locality, come in May. Im April 

 a cold wave or frost is not liable to do so serious injury. June 

 froists are extremely rare and August frosts perhaps lequally so. 

 In 1816 there were frosts every month in the year. The crops of 

 Indian corn were all destroyed, and seed for the next year's plant- 

 ing had to be brought from a great distance. * * * Serious 

 damage ihere is unlikely befotre September 15th^ while after Octo- 

 ber list froists are generally harmless, since the crops are secured 

 before that date. During the past nine years we have had sev- 

 eral injurious or killing spring frosts, but no autumnal ones of a 

 disastrous nature." It is stated that a very unusually late and 

 iujuirious spring frost on May 30th, 1884. 



Mr. H. 0. Townsend, of Wappingers Falls, Dutchess county, 

 furnishes a list of killing frosts during seven yeairs, 1886-1892. 

 The average date of the last killing frost of spring was M'ay 9th, 

 the earliest date being April 30th and the latest May 20th. The 

 average date of the first killing frost of autumin was October 12t.h, 



