Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-10

IT DOES NO GOOD,
! but, on the contrary, much harm to suppress
/ facts Of this character, and truth is not only
/ always the best but the wisest and soundest
/ policy. Let an inquirer know what he NAV
/ occasionally expect to find in this country.
/ and when reYerses occur, his month will not
/ be full OF denunciatiOns and reproaches.
Vegetables OF all varieties have been
blighted. and the prospects oft the State fair to
| be held here early next month, are not en-
/ cOuraging in the Way of fruits and flowers
A friend informed me yesterday that in
1852, when a boy, he skated on pond in Pine
street, and that ice formed on the edge OF the
river so that the boys amused themselves by
seeing how far they could throw shells upon
the smooth surface.
A heavy rain fell last night, and the morn
ing daWned close and sultFy. Since noon
there has been steady and decided reduction
OF the temperature, and indications favor an
other freeze in the morning. This weather is
altogether unusual and unprecedented. and
strikes our Northern visitors with consider
able establishment. AS all evils are accom-
panied with some cOmpensatiOns, the recent
excessive cold will send down crowds from
the North and West in quest OF warmer
climate. Even the EsquimauN shrink from
temperature Of 40 degrees below zero, which
has been recorded in some Of the Northern
communities within the last few days.
The blizzard has been the prevailing topic
of conversation for the past two days, and
this city is full of croakers over the situation.
From what have been able to learn about
one-third Of the crop OF oranges was I'M
gathered. A very considerable portion OF
this has been frozen, and will soon drop. A
frozen orange shows no evidence of injury
Outwardly. but in a few days its juices eVapO-
rate, and a slight pressure only is required to
compress the rin0 into mass. If not imme-
diately consumed, it very rapidly degenerates
and as a general rule is not worth shipment.
WHILE THERE MAY BE A TEMPORARY CHECK
to the Florida boom by the late disaster we
feel confident that the advantages presented
bv the State are too numerous and prominent
70 oil If mo than a tppnovq1+Rr dn11s.as
sion There are already those who take
cheerful view, and predict that the frost Will
act beneficially by Che destruction Of myriads
Of destructive insects, and who even venture
the prophecy that the next crop will be
markable for its abundance and superior
quality. Still it is true that there are many
gloomy faces to be seen, and 1t is probable
that there can be found here and there men
who would dispose Of their groves at a con-
siderable discount from former prices.
Our late misfortunes are no greater than
those that sometimes overtake the peach
growers OF New Jersey and Delaware and
other producers of fruit, while the growth of
vegetation here is SO rapid that but short
time will elapse before all the traces of injury
will be completely hidden. Nobody need ex-
pect continuous run of good fortune, and
when trouble overtakes us we should stiflen
our sinews and meet its assaults manfully.
There is always some useful lesson to be
learned from every misfortune, and we may
even be taught by this to mitigate the severity
Of the future attacks of Jack Frost. OF one
thing we are positively certain-that in the
wide domain of the United States Florida can
have no competition in the way of climate
and productions, until manifest destiny"
requires us to annex Mexico and Cuba. Flori-
da must continue to be point of attractisn
lust so long as these advantages exist, even if
once in a while her oranges are scOrched and
her vegetables blighted. Visitors will con-
tinue to come as usual, will buy lands and
plant orange groves, viii build houses,
churches and schools and the State will go on
improving and prospecting. With an I'M
shaken faith in the future of the State, let us
throw away gloom and dependency and look
forward cheerfully and hopefully. The same
bright skies will arch over us, the same balmy
breezes blow, the same sweet flowers bloom,
and the same Almighty hand control our des-
TIMES and shape our actions.
FEW DAYS LONGER
we shall be able, with some degree OF ac-
curacy, to hear from all portions of the State
and to estimate the positive damage. II the
injury is confined to the fruit alone, it will be
borne with composure. II the bearing orange
trees have suffered, then the loss will be far
more serious and permanent. At present it is
thought that only the younger trees have
been damaged. The late wave has been much
more generally difused, and did not appear
in streaks or localities, giving, as 1t were,
preference for some, while others escaped.
Last winter, ice formed only once, with the
Thermometer at % degrees. This winter we