The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-30
ORANGES IN ICE JACKETS.
The GiIttering Spectacle that Drew Visitors
from all Part. Of California.

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 21.-TwO weeks ago n
cold. boisterous. and penetrating north wind
broke over the coast. blowing with force
rarely known in this latitude. For three days
1t blow over vineyard and orchard. garden and
field threatening all our semi-tropical vegcta-
ton with destruction. Then. as the fury of the
blast abatcd. the most nlpping frosts succeeded,
and morning after morning all nature was
found clad I'm mantle Of white The mercury
stcadily fell in the thermometer with alarming
persistency. until in the northern and cast
ern counties 1t approached zero. while in
Santa Barbara Los Angeles, and San Diego
our choicest garden regions. II marked but
twelve TO fifteen dcgrros above. There was good
skating in districts whore ice had hitherto Been
almost unknown. As far down as Santa Bar
bara. for two mornings in succession. leo
enough was gathered to freeze cream SUCCESS
fully. Such n visitation has never before been
known. and Ia well calculated to alarm the most
ancient settlers.
Those of THE SUNS readers who have trav-
ecd in Florida or Cuba do not need to bc told
how beautiful sight is an orange grove in full
fruit. Just as the rich product is assuming the
golden huo of ripcncss. On this coast artificial
irrigation is n necessity. and 1t is customary To
shower tho entire tree. Now imagine a grove
oi orange trees. all laden. the rich yellow fruit
encased in n thin coating of ice. and every leaf
and twig gliitering ia tho morning sunlight.
with icy pendants, the whole flashing and
sparkling with the briliancy Of diamonds. uud
you have an idea Of the appearance of the
orange groves of Los Angeles. San Bcrnardino.
Santa Barbara. and San Diego on several morn
inEs during this most un-Caiiiorninn weather.
This brilliant spectacle was witnessed ia the
lemon and lime orchards ns woll and IL at
tracted hundreds Of visitors, some Of them from
great distances. But II aroused gloomy ;ore-
bndings in the minds Of the fruit growers. 10
has been iuind. however. that the oranges.
lemons, and lines are not seriously injured.
though some young orchards, and the younger
trees in old orchards. are doubtless killed. Tho
ripening crop OF this year will be gathered IN
good condition. But the bananas have suffered
badly. Both trees and fruit are killed -blightod
IA II hy slrocco. No reports have been re-
eelyed from the H. growing regions. hack in the
foot hills. but Il j. thought that that fruit has
been gathered. and that tho trees are SUM-
oicntly hardy to withstand the cold.
Tho flower gardens escaped with compnra-
lively little damage. We have roses of every
variety, pnks IN proiusion, fucl sas that grow
almost to trees. gernniums that ar" literally cul-
| tivaied rs hedges, h"iotrupcs, ana All the more
hardy plants. a these growing in the open
air. and all now In bloom. All have weathsred
| the cold spell except the heiotropes. They
| appear 10 have been hopclcssly b,ightcd.
Save the staple ccrns. m" grape crop Ia tho
most important In Caliiornln. In the season ol
! 1873 the State produced 1000 900 gallons of
| wine, and. though that WIS the largest vintage
| ever known. IL did not by any means represent
| the full capacity " our vineyards. Since that
| time the quality oi our grapcs has been greatly
| improved. AMI tho number OF vines largely
| of 12UOUOOO gallons. Last year however. the
| product was but about 100000 gallons. or less
| than half n crop. and II will not be any larger
this year. Notwithstanding that the grapes we're
| oil gathered and out OF harm's way before the
| 'rosis came. THIS short crop is partly aitrib-
| utahlc 70 the heavy rains early in the season,
| but more 20 the unexplained, and probably un-
| cNplainnhl". law which permits q iul crop of
any fruit but once I'm three or more years. This
| was not the grape year" Throughout the
| State the yield of the vineyards has been about
| half n crop: while in the SonOma Valley. where
upnrlN six hundred of nnNa lppn
| rnvaged by the philloNera. not over u third OF a
| crop WAS gathered md this IL true also Of the
! Napa Valley But the quality OF the grnpcs is
| much above the average. Our vincyarders are
| rapidly uprooting the old mission vine and
gn ,n,n hs@ tbas % % 'on sbnr rrns rsrSs "p
vntuge ol this year IL found 10 be vastly supc-
| rior to thnt of any former year. The rod wines
| oi california hgvc now driven ont the French
winos from our home markets. aud tho demand
Tor them from the East indicates that they are
| coming into ihvor there. ConnoisseurS pro-
| nounce the clarcts Of this year uncNcelled by
| the FRENCH wines Of the same grade. and this
| opinion is shared 10y French tasters OF nc
| knowIedged judgment The proof al their ex-
cclence IL found In the rapid demand Tor them
| both at home and for export, aud tho good
| tins year are also better than ever An ac-
| quaiutauce OF mine in the wine trade informs
| me that he has had difficulty in procuring crude
wines for hlrndinE. and That as the crudes are
| superior. tho blended VIII De so.
| Last year California produced $50. 600 gallons
| oi brandy. all OF which ha-becn sold. IL found
| ready market for medicinal uses at the East
| lis admitted purity being It's principal recom-
| mcndation. This year the brandy product will
! be considerably less, owing 10 tho ready de-
| mand for wines and the short crop Producers
| prefer to sell their crude wines Hs they come
| from the press provided they can secure 10
| good price for them. rather than take tho
| trouble 10 distill them. Hence there j. a gen
| cra dcmand for brandy now and but little to
| be had. Dealers ar very glad to take IL fresh
! from tho stills md pay good prices for II at
that OF old brandy there Is literally none in
| the state. II is Thought that the frosts have not
| done any injury 20 the graprVines.
| The wheat crop Is backward this winter.
| owing "a the want Of rain. In portions ut tho
| State whore the farmers sOwcd thoir grain in
dry ground II has failed 10 sprout aud 1t will bee
| necessary 10 resow It. In other sections. and
| especially on the tulc lands in the river bot
| toms. whore the grain has sprung up, tho
| irosts have nipped IL badly. But Il will doubt
| less spring NJ again. tho principle incon-
| vcniencr being in tho delay OF the growth.
| which IN this State continues throughout the
| winter or wet season. II the frOsts are now
| followed by rains, We hope there Will be Il very
| large acreage Sown.
| nEIgq HlTIg EnaXIsn IN TaTN