Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-25
Fruit Prospects HereabOuts.
ABOUT PEACHES AND PEARS-THE LATE FROSTS.
ence of The EVENING STAR.


Correspond ence of The EVENING STAR.
FALLS CHURCH, April %, 1882.
1t seems that cur peach-growers have not
agreed i'm regard to the true condition of the
peach germs since the late freezes April 10th
was about chilly and uncomfortable q rain as
ever occurs In this latitude There was sleet
during the day at intervals. Temperature, 400.
The storm did not end untilni9ht. 1t was quite
evident % an observer OF the storm that there
would he freeze during the night following.
Cleared away during the latter part of the night,
and on the morning Of the 18th ice of about
sixteenth of an inch thick formed on the water
In q tub out of doors. Damp, if not really wet,
as the buds and blossoms must have been do
not think that they were killed to any extent.
On the 18th the wind was strong and very
cool from the northwest all day with Sunday
little snow squalls. On the morning of the 18th
the temperature at $50 o'clock a. IN. was 2io
and ice in the tub of water was little over
three-eighths Of an inch thick: The question
seemed to be settled without an examination of
the buds and blossoms that the peach promise
Of two days previous was broken. / thought
Is was. and was so sure Of it that l did not
deem it necessary to examine. The second
thought, and always the best. changed my mind.
j have examined the blossoms extensively
As general fact the trees that blossomed first.
and these were in bloom when the freeze came
the germs are dead So far as nv observation
extends. the Comet" the very latest to ripen of
all the peaches here, and the "Alexanders" and
'Amsden's june" the very earliest OF all
peaches, now In bloom at the same time, the
germs of both were killed. OF the trees that put
out fsg blossoms after the freeze. the germs are
nearly all alive. The ''SmOck's and Getaways"
the latest peaches before the Comets" were
brought out, and the Beatrice, the earliest be-
fore the" Aiexanders" and "Amsdens, ," blossomed
fully after the freeze. and are alive. To these
general statements there are exceptions The
protecting or exposing nature of the locality has
In places changed the fact in both cases. As a
general truth also the germs on trees on high
ground with northern slope, have Jared better
than the same varieties on southern slope. De-
casionally q tree has live germs on the north
side, whilst those on the south are dead. Thus
whilst the varieties will be lessened IS COM
pared with bearing years when . freeze has not
occurred. the crop will be sufficiently large for
the demand and fair paying prices
But yet with the observations Of last season
respect to the outcome Of the present promise
But very few growers, at the time Of blossom
ing. hadany promise Of peaches, and the promise
OF these was confined to q very few trees as COM
pared to the whole orchard, and then when the
germs had but barely changed into peaches the
young fruit began to drop, and In most cases the
trees were nearly deprived of fruit before matu-
rity- Then again this was true Of quite a pOr-
ton OF the trees; when the peaches had reached
the size of hazel nut, the greater part stopped
growing until the season was about ended The
curious, and. to me- never before seen result,
was, on some trees, and particularly the Shocks
three crops or periods Of ripening. Thefrst and
smallest OF fine large peaches matured about the
18th vi September; the next considerably smaller
but yet near fair In size and quality matured
about the middle of October; and the third near
about the size of apricots. colored up and flow
cred somewhat like apricots, about q month
later. These facts show that the greater portion
oil the peach buds that survived the winter sus-
tanned more or less injury If anything like this
should be true also of the buds this season the
Results of what now seems to be a fair promise
OF fruit will be disappointing at last.
Pears have bloomed after the freezes and
promise bountiful crop.
LATER.
Monday morning. April s4th-The snow fell
On Sunday about four inches deep, / think.
Temperature at 9 O'Clock last evening 33o and
snow disappearing temperature at 10 minutes
Past o'clock this morning 32o Wet snow was
frozen. but little pools Of water not frozen.
Can't say what at present writing is the effect on
fruit. +,