The effect of abnormal weather conditions during 1934 on vegetation in the northeast

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Occasional Paper No, 4

August 1, 1935

NORTHEASTERN FOREST EKPERITvIENT STATION
0. Edv/ard Behre, Director

New Haven, Conn.

FOREST SERVICE

8oBtbeioFor«st Bxp.StatiQc
»9EW08LEAMS,L&

-lU ^ ^ 1935

Jgj^ElYED

THE EFFECT OF AmOSliKL ?fflATEER CONDITIONS DURING 1934 ON

VEGETATION IN THE NORTHEAST

By

H. F. Morey

Assistant Silviculturist

The Effect of Abnormal Weather Conditions during 1954 on Vegetation

in the Northeast

ty

H. F. Morey _l/
Assistant Silviculturist
Northeastern Forest Experiraent Station

It is generally knoivn that the range of a given species is de-
termined chiefly by climate. Tourney^/ states that ”the northern
limit of a species is in part an isotherm beyond which it can not
exist because of v;inter killing and frequent injury from early and
late frosts.” The subnormal temperatures which prevailed throughout
the region during February and March 1934, offered an opportunity for
studying their effect upon vegetation in the Northeast. Accordingly,
various individuals and agencies were requested to report any unusual
damage to vegetation which might have been caused by adverse weather
conditions .

January was relatively mild tiiroughout the region. _4/ There
was also a marked deficiency of snowfall for the month. February was
subnormally cold. It was the coldest month for New England since
records have been compiled and was the coldest month recorded in New
York since 1890. The average temperatures for February in New England
and New York vrere 10.7 and 12.4 degrees below normal respectively.
Heavy snow fell over New England and eastern and so uthern New York
in February.

Rainfall was below normal in May in northern New England and
drought conditions prevailed over most of New Engls-nd dnj’ing July and
August. The greatest drought conditions occ\ii’red along the coast, be-
ing very marked in southern Rhode Island and on Cape Cod, where the
precipitation deficit for these months Y;as over 60 percent. Drought
conditions in northern and western New York prevailed from May to Sep-
tember. At Olean, in southwestern New York, Septemt^er was the only
month in which a precipitation deficit did not occur. The deficit at
this point for the period of May - August was 49 percent.

3^/ Acknowledgement is due to cooperators in Civilian Conservation Corps,
Forest Schools, State Forestry Departments, and others who have supplied
observations on which this paper is based. The list of cooperators is
too. large for individual acknov/ledgment .

Maintained at Nev; Haven, Connecticut, in cooperation "ilth Yale Uni-
versity.

Tourney, James W. Foundations of silviculture upon an ecological basis.
Volume 1, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1928,

_4/ Weather data obtained from '^Climatological Data” Annual Summary 1934.
Vol. 46:13, New England aiid New York Sections, U. S. Weather Bureau.

( Over )

Both sassafras (Sassafras varjifoliiun) and spice bush ( Benzoin
aestivale ) were severely winter damc.ged in several central New York
localities ♦ Since the occurrence of both species in those localities
is sporadic rather than general, v;inter killing might be an important
factor in limiting the northern extension of the ranges of these
species.

Winter damage to ornamental and fruit plants in some localities
v/as estimated to have amounted to thousands of dollars, A thousand
acre stand of immature northern hardwoods in the Adirondacks near
Cranberry Lake, New York, was so severely damaged that the area ap-
pesared to have been burned. Such losses were not general in all dis-
tricts, for plants that were injured in a given locality were not
harmed^in nearby localities. Vegetation in open or in exposed places,
or Y/hich v/as planted within a year v/as damaged more than the vegeta-
tion in sheltered places, or Y/hich was planted prior to 1933.

Mr, DeForest A Mattes on of the .Allegan^'^ State Park Commission,
Rod House, New York, v^Tites, ^During the extrem.e cold weather the
following phenomenon was observed several times: After o.n extreme
low tem-peraturo , with no wind, sk^^ clear, but air generally hazy,
the rising sun striking the east slope would cause a barrage of
snapping, cracking, and booming in the timber. This would last for
a short tim_e only, I can not say exactly how long, perhaps fifteen
minutes to a half hour. Some of the reports v;ere very sharp and
loud, I assume this to be frost cracking of the tiiTiber, but can
not just e:^plain the part played by the surMs rays. The tempera-
t^ore was v/ell belov/ zero,”

During July many exotic shrubs in southwestej'n New York con-
tinued to die, Wliether this mortality v;as due to y/inter injury,
frost, or drought, or their combined effects, is not known.

Effects of Individual Weather Inj'ories

The observations received at the Northeastern Forest Experi-
ment Station on the inj^arious effects of frost, drought, and the
v/inter of 1933-34 are summarized as folloy/s:

Frost

The excessive cracking of the holes of young aspen (Populus
treimLloide.s ) in nor thv;e stern Massachusetts may have been due to the
low temperatures in the spring.

In eastern Massachusetts frost injury in small valley-like
depressions retarded vegetative activity to such an extent that the
appearance of leaves and catkins, especially of bear oak ( Quercus
ilicifolia ) , was from a week to ten days later than on the surround-
ing ridges.

hfeiny privet (Ligustrum vulgar e ) hedges were killed in northern
Massachusetts during a period(hIay 8-12) of exceedingly cold days and
nights in y;hich temperatures fell y;ell below freezing.

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A severe frost on May 16 in scoithwestorn Mew York killed many
leaves and ne?/ shoots of beech (Fagus grand if olia) , white ash ( Fraxinus
americana) , shagbark hickory (Hicoria ovata.) , mountain laurel (Kalmia
latifolia) , and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) •

Man^r new shoots and leaves of Viburnum (Viburnum sp.) v/ere killed
bir a heavy frost on May S4 in northern Mew York.

On June 7, a killing frost at Newcomb, Mew York, did considerable
damage to yellow birch (Be tula 3.utea), beech, and broken fern (Pteris
aquilina) .

Drought ^

Summer drought at Thomaston, Conji., is believed to have caused
premature ripening, dissemdnat ion, and poor quality of the seed of shag-
bark hickory, and butternut ( Juglans cinera) •

Premature leaf falling from aspen ( Populus tremuloides ) on southern
exposures in sections of the Adirondacks may have been due to drought. In
August some aspens lost as much as 60 percent of their foliage which
turned yellow and fell as naturally as did the rest later.

Yfinter Killing

Abies balsar.Ba (Balsom fir): The foliage of trees along roadsides
and in low, damp places in south central Veimiont brov/ned in March. Con-
siderable winter killing occurred in sections of the Adirondacks (nor-
thern New York) and in south central New Hempshire.

Acer p alma turn (Japanese maple) suffered considerable injury in
nor th77e stern Conne c t i cut .

Acer rubrum (Red mLaple ) Y7as Y/inter killed to some extent in north
central bfciine Y/here the flOY^ers dropped off before any fruit was formed.
Sapling stands on old burns were killed in the Adirondacks. The damage
was so severe in one stand near Tupper Lake, Nev; York, that sprouts re-
sulting froFi root crowns and stems gave a m.ost striking appearance to
the stand. Immature trees were severely domaged at Cranberry Lake, New
York.

The low temperatiu?es during the spring are believed to have caused
an excessive cracking of the boles of young trees in nortlwestern Massa-
chusetts .

Acer saccharum (Sugar m.aple): Although this phenomenon may not
have been due to the weather, it is interesting to note that in north-
western Massachusetts a barrel of sap produced one gallon of maple syrup
inste-ad of tY/o-thirds of one gallon as is usual ♦

Alnus sp. Many alder clumps in southwestern Noy; York jiere severely
injured or killed.

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Ajiiygdalus persica (Peach) • Many peach trees in central and
southern Nev/ England did not bloom at all, and the fruit crop in gen-
eral was a failure ,

Benzoin aestivale (Spice bush) was killed back to the ground in
several localities in central New York, This species did not bloom
at all at Mount McGregor, New York, in the southeastern Adirondacks,

Betula lutea (Yellow birch) was severely damaged at Cranberry ,
New York.

Betula papyrifera (Paper birch): the branches of paper birch were
badly damaged by snow and wind on certain areas in northwestern Massa-
chusetts.

Catalpa bignonioides (Catalpa) v/as occa.sionally killed in north-
western Connecticut.

C:/pvi.pedium hirsutum (Show lady’s slipper) which had been trans-
planted aa Mount McGregor, Nevf York, did not come above the ground.

Delphinium sp. (Larkspur) was winterkilled in north central Massa-
chusetts.

Digitalis purpurea (Eoxglove) v/as occasionally^ winterkilled in
north central Bias sac huso t ts .

Eagus grand if olia (Beech) Winter killing is believed to have
been the reason for the "failure of the lower branches of beech to leaf
in certain sections in central New York. Mature beech at edges of
clearings were winter killed in some Adirondack localities. At Cran-
berry Lake, New York, this species v/as injured more severely than others,
some trees as large as 18 inches D.B.H. being damaged,

Eersyrthia sp. Although not killed at Mount McGregor, New York, the
Eorsythia failed to bloom,

Habenarla finbriata (Eringed orchis) was badly daieaged at Mount
McGregor, Nev/ York.

Ealmia latifolia (Mountain laurel) v/as damaged to a slight extent
in northwestern Connecticut and north central Massachusetts.

Larix laricina (Tamarack) that were directly exposed to the pre-
vailing winds v/ere killed in some localities of northwestern Massachusetts.

Ligustrum; vulgare (Privet) v/as v/inter killed in southern and north-
western Connecticut, central Massachusetts, and southeastern New York.

Ivlalus sylvestris (Cultivated apple). Some old apple trees which
v/ero in an exposed spot and v/hich had been pruned, wore v/inter killed in
a locality in v/estern Massachusotte . Baldwin apple trees were severely

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injured in southeastern Nev/ York. Orchards within a radius of fifty
miles of Mount McGregor in the southeastern Adirondacks looked as if
fire had swept through them. In southwestern New York, where the
damage was greatest when exposed to the v/ind, many trees did not leaf
out at all.

Picea excelsa (Norv/ay spruce). In norttn/e stern Massachusetts
one 20 acre plantation established in 1933 on an exposed northwest slope
was 85 percent winter killed. In the same locality snow and v/ind also
damaged older plantations which 7;ore not sheltered from the prevailing
winds. At Sharon in central Vermont, the leaves on the south side and
above the snov/ line on many Norway spruce foui* feet high brovmed and fell.

Picea pungens (Colorado blue £^ruce) was not damaged in the nursery
of the Brov/n Company in western Ivlaine, although native species in the nur-
sery were severely injured,

Picea rubra (Red spruce) plantations in northwestern Massachusetts
were damaged by snow and v/ind. Winter killing of nursery stock was severe
in western Maine, Somie winter killing also occurred in south central New
Hampshire, in the ^irondacks and in exposed places in central Vermont,

Picea sitchensis (Sitka spruce) was killed in southeastern New York.

Pinus austriaca (Austrian pine) plantations which were not shel-
tered from the prevailing v/inds v/ere damaged by snow and v;ind in north-
western Massachusetts,

Pinus banksiana (Jack pine). Two spot plantings in northv/estern
Massachusetts were damaged by heavy snowfall which bent the trees a foot
or so above the snow line ,

Pinus resinosa (Norway pine) plantations established in 1933 in a
section of northwestern Connecticut were v/inter killed. Nursery stock
was severely damaged in vrestern Maine,

Pinus strobus (Northern T/hite pine) Mas winter killed in north
central Massachusetts, some sections of southern New* York and aloiig roads
in sections of central Vermont, In some sections of north central Maine
the 1933 needles a.nd clusters of terminal buds on the leaders of 5 to 15
year old trees were killed, and growth frequently resulted from adventi-
tious buds formed below the dead portions of the leaders. Similar damage
occurred to native and plantation trees in sections of northwestern Massa-
chusetts, White Pino was the least affected of any species at Nev/comb,

New York, in the Adirondacks.

Pinus_sylv8stris (Scotch pine) was slightly winter killed in sec-
tions of central Vermont.

Populus tremuloides (Aspen) branches 'were damaged by snow and
wind in northv/estern Massachusetts .

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Pvseudotsuga taxifolia (Douglas fir). Many troos from 8 to EO
foot tall in a ono-half aero plantation in contral Vorinont v/ore killed.

Q^iercus borealis (Red oak) on tops of ledges in west central
Connecticut were killed. ”Flux run^’ (running of sap from cracks in the
hark) occurred in some trees in western Massachusetts.

Quorcus ilicifolia (Bear oak or scrub oak) on ledges in v/est cen-
tral Cormecticut were killed.

Quercus montana (Chestnut oak) on tops of ledges in T;est central
Connecticut v/ere winter killed.

Rhododendron sp. Rhododendron suffered considerable v/inter damage
in northwestern Connecticut.

Rhus hirta (Staghorn sumac) ims badly damaged, and in some cases
killed by the severe winter in central New York.

Rosa sp. (Rose), many of which withstood the rigor of previous
winters, were wintey killed in central Massachusetts, southern and
northern New York. The sweet briar variety was badly damaged in the
southeastern Adirondack district. The semi -naturalized R. cinnamomea
(?) suffered less injury than other varieties in southwestern New York.

Sassafras varifolium (Sassafras) suffered considerable winter
killing in several central New York localities.

Tulipa sp. (Tulip) was entirely killed in some localities in
central Massachusetts.

Tsuga canadensis (Eastern heirL].ock) suf for ’^d needle damage in
localities in central and v/estern Massachusetts, southern New York, and
central Vermont. Most of the dcjnage occurred to portions of the trees
which v/ero exposed to the sun and wind. At Newcomb, Nev; York, in the
Adirondacks, hemlock suffered more from this typo of v/inter killing than
any other species,

Ulmus americana (American elm) was winter killed in north central

Maine .

Vaccinium sp. (Cranberries), Ice to a thickness of two feet in
cranberry bogs caused a total loss of cranberries in some localities in
south central Connecticut.

(Blueberries) were killed back to the root crowns

in some Adirondok communities.

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