468 Eighth Annual Rei'ort of the 



beinff three days earlier than at Palermo for the same period. 

 The earliest date of the record is September 7th and the latest 

 October 25th. These frosts were observed in the valley of Wap- 

 pingers creek 'and are probably earlier than the average of the 

 region. 



Immediate proximity to the river moderates the severity of 

 froists oonsiderably, according to the observations of Mr. H. A. 

 Stone, of Rondout. 



The Central Lake Region. 



In the absence of adequ'ate observations upon frosts the follotw- 

 ing dates of beginning and ending of freezing weather at Ithaca 

 may\ be found' useful. During the past fourteen yeiars the last 

 freezing temperature (32 degree) of spring has, on an average, 

 occurred on May 6th, the earliest date for the jieriod being April 

 9th and' the latest May 29th, The average date of first freezing 

 temperature in autumn was October lOth; the earliest occurrence 

 being Sfeptember 26th, while in one case 32 degrees was not re- 

 corded until! October 31st. Temperatures of 32 Id'egrees in Octo- 

 ber or even the latter part of September are not likely to be in- 

 jurious to crops them exposed, while comsiderably higher air tem- 

 peratures in May do not preclude the possibility of great refrigera- 

 tion and! disastrous frost niear the surface of thai ground or in val- 

 ley bottoms. Dr. J. H^^att, previously quoted, notes cases in 

 which injurious frosts occurred late in May, while the temperature 

 registered 40| and 41 degrees at a point 12 to 20 feet above the 

 general level. 



Data from the graj)e region of Keuka lake were furnished by 

 Mr. H. O. Fairchild. From 1880 to 1892 May frosts damaged 

 grapes somewhat in four cases, in three of which the injury was 

 confined mainly to the valleys. The earliest instance of a killing 

 autumnal frost was' on ^September 22d, and in three 3^ears some 

 damage wais sustained on October 11th and 12th. The lonly case 

 of October frost in addition to these occurred on^ the 27th. Mr. 

 Fairchild states that a temperature of 28 degrees) is usually in- 

 jurious only to the foliage of grape vines. 



