Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-06
KILLING THE CROPS.
Heavy Frosts Spoil the Prospect Of a
Big Fruit Season.
sPOILING TIE STRAWBERRIES.
Farmers and Market Gardeners Gloomy
over the Outlook.
LIGHT RAIN BRINGS SOME RELIEF

sit in the neck" at last, so far as the greater
part of the fruit crop is concerned. The ice
laden breath of the hyperborean gods has
coated water tubs with ice as thick
as single-strength glass for two morn
ihgs in succession. Yesterday morn
ing it was the heaviest, but there is
some comfort to be extracted from the fact
that the sky was cloudy, aud the sun did
not get out early to cook the bloom. 1t is
said that the strawberry crop is gone beyond
doubt. but apples and most other fruit may
still carry sufficient unimpaired to produce
a crop, as they could lose more than half
and still have an abundance.
While frost was not generally discernible
on the hills yesterday morning the ice was,
and in the low grounds the ground was
white in places. there being no protecting
fog. The tenor OF reports is much the same
all the way from Freeport to New Castle.
Up the Allegheny it was black frost.
Advices That Gave the Blues.
A pretty general impression prevailed up
until noon yesterday, that the situation was
still tolerably secure but then the Signal Serv.
ice people got advices from Washington that
greater was in store for last night. and before
sundown the frequency of overcoats and the
blue noses of those who did not have their
wraps handy precluded the necessity of a
freeze prophet. There still remained a faint
hope that the wind might keep up, or that the
horizon might be clouded and this disaster be
ayerted. The last few days have made it pain
fully apparent to many people who seldom pay
much attention to meteorological matters tnat
North wind blowing steadily may bring frost
in july as well as in January.
People in the city are almost as much
worked mp over the situation as the farmers
and regular fruit growers, as though
California fruit Is very acceptable in
the absence of the home product, it doesn't
take its place by great deal. and when apples
sell in groceries for more than oranges the
situation becomes almost critical in the estima-
tion of the average consumer. If two years of
deluge are followed by two years of frost.
of the mischief done by destroying for
ests, though forest fires these nights
filling the atmosphere with smoke would do
much to avert disaster. That protection has
been largely taken away since natural gas be.
came the prevalent fuel.
Frosts in the Nearby Gardens.
Interviews with a number of gardeners and
dealers in garden stuff developed the following
facts as to the effects of recent frosts in this
section: Up to Monday of this week pros
poets for an immense crop of Strawberries were
never better. The plants were in full bloom.
But the chill nCr'wester which swept
terrible blight to the crop
Said a Diamond market gardener: "I saw
many promising bed of Strawberries in full
bloom along the CHARTERS Valley yesterday,
which this morning is entirely blasted. One
field OF two acres l noticed particularly
which was literally covered with white
flowers and would have yielded i'm.
If the warm weather of last week had not been
interrupted, was utterly blasted by last nights
frosts, and many prospective dollar has dis
appeared All that remains for the gardeners,
who had built high hopes on the strawberry
crop, is to plow under their beds and plant
something more reliable for fall"
A Neville. Island gardener had this
mometer registered 3ls above zero this morn.
ing, and this means disaster to most of the out.
door crops of this section. The asparagus that
few days Of warm weather will bring the REM
edy IN this line. Rhubarb is very susceptible
to frosts, and the yield in this line will be put
back week or TWO by the chilly weather.
Prospects of an Apple Crop.
"The apple trees on the Island were in full
bloom yesterday, and there was never q better
promise of a large yield. We could easily spare
three-fourths of the blossom and then have an
abundant yield Of apples. There is little doubt
that large proportion of the blossoms were
nippsd by last nights frost but we do not yet
relnquish the hope that enough will be left to
secure an average yield. shower on
the Island yesterday had dampened
fruits and vegetables SO as to make
them all the more susceptible to the effects of
frosts The cherry and peach trees having
passed out of bloom, time only will tell the
effect on this fruit. But as to homegrown
strawberries am confident that there is little
hope Of any yield worth the gathering in our
section"
The weather was intentionally cool all day.
At 8 o'clock in the morning the thermometer
registered $50; at IL A M, 43o; at noon. 40 at
P. M, 46; at P. M, 42o. The maximum tenn
perature was 48o and the minimum $50.
About O'clock in the evening clouds began
gathering, and an hour and half later a very
welcome rain came, allaying all fears for an
other heavy frost.
A telegram from Meadville last night said:
"The ground all over this county is covered
with snow ana more is falling tonight. The
peach trees, which are in fine bloom, will be
the principal less in fruit, as reports from all
over this section are to the effect that other
fruit trees have not yet come into blossom"