Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-10-05
FROST FRIDAY NIGHT.
Great Damage Done to Tobacco.


The killing frost of Friday night
October 1st, was somewhat a surprise
to the farmers. The weather had
been little chilly for day or two
preceding but nobody was expecting
the sudden change Friday evening
that brought heavy white frost
Saturday morning. A great deal Of
damage was done TO the uncut tobac-
co, as much of it was almost entirely
ruined. In some places on hillsides
and where fields were sheltered by
woods the damage was slight, but in
low lands much of the crop was so
badly bitten that it will not be cut.
FROM FLATLIcK.
An intelligent farmer from Pee
Dee was interviewed yesterday oil
the subject. He says fully one half
Of the crop was out in this section
and on downt to Lafayette and beyond.
In Christian and Trigg counties and
on down towards the Cumberland
river fully half of the crop was out,
and much of it green. The damage
is about one-half to that portion out
or % per cent. of the entire crop.
Very few farmers had finished cut
ting. Occasionally one was found
who had not cut any part of his crop.
The crop is such large one that
most planters were compelled to cure
a part of it at time in order
TO make room in their barns. The
frost coming ON fully two weeks ear
ly took them unawares and their
losses will be very heavy.
LoHGvIEw AND VICINITY.
In the vicinity of Longview the re-
ports are not quite so bad. 1t Is esti-
mated that at least half of the crop
was out but the damage is put at on
ly one-third, which is loss of one
sixth of the entire crop. This is due
TO the fact that there are not 80 many
low fields and creek bottoms as in the
southwestern portion of the county.
Mr.. j. S. Summers, of Longview,
had 70 acres out and he estimates the
loss at one-half. lie is one of the
heaviest losers in the county.
GAINESVILLE, TENN.
The following special TO the Amer
lean gave the situation at GAINESVILLE
CLARKsvrLLE, Oct. 1.-The big frost
last night took the farmers of this
section by surprise and caused quite
commotion in the market. Buyers
are at sea, and don't know how to pro-
coed until further reports are in from
tobacco growing sections. The frost,
as far as heard from, was very severe,
killing all tender vegetation, such as
green corn, potatoes, vines, tomatoes,
etc. The outstanding tobacco crop is
badly damaged, all green plants be-
ing killed from the top to the ground,
while only top leaves of ripe plants
are damaged. Some farmers had
about finished cutting, others had
half of the crop in, and many had just
commenced housing, hsvingn not more
than one-fourth cut. From the best
estimates TO be gathered from long
faced planters in the city to-day from
different sections of the country,
about one-third of the crop is out
standing and considerably damaged
by the frost, many estimates say one
half. One-third the loss by frost will
apply to the northern portion of Mont
gomery, Christian, Todd, Trigg and
Logan counties. The percentage OF
outstanding crop in the southern part
of Montgomery, Robertson, Cheatham,
Houston and Stewart is put down at
fully half. 1t appears from the tele-
graph reports here that the frost was
general and that the tobacco crop has
suffered greatly, loss of from 80 to
so per cent.