Smyrna times., 1894-04-04
The Weather and the Crnns

When we went to press last week the
papers from the Central, Southern and
Western states contained dOleful &C.
counts of the destruction of fruits and
early crops. In this section the farmers
felt at the time that the peach blossoms
could not stand such temperature .2Oo
for two successive nights, but they find
the damage not so total as they ex-
pected. J. Frank penney thought 500
baskets had escaped outOfa prospective
crop of 1000. Geo. w. Mattiford and
Samuel Rilderbaok thought One-third
still remained while others thought
they would not have one tenth of a
crop.
Walter Morris, cashier of the State
bank at Dover, examined a few peach
twigs after the cold snap of last week
and found out of 81 buds, 55 killed and
AZ living. He also examined a few
pear trees and found but few killed.
The Sussex journal saws Hon.
Paynter Frame finds that the early
fruit still has plenty of live buds those
in bloom all being killed, but the dor.
mant buds are still alive, and he thinks
that there are dormant buds enough
left to produce probably one fourth of
a crop. The yellow fruit is very badly
injured. He says that the freeze and
frost of Wednesday morning was what
did the damage.
The Salisbury Advertiser of Satur-
day says: Fruit and vegetables have
never been further advanced at this
season of the year than they we're last
Sunday, in this county, They were
never in worse condition than they are
now.
In Wicomico county all fruit out in
bloom seems beyond question killed.
peaches, pears, etc. The berry crop
does not seem materially injured so far
The peach crop on the peninsula ia
unquestionably greatly damaged and
probably entirely swept away
The Milford Chronicle says: Many
growers believe that all chances for a
peach crop in that section in 1894 is
blasted. The same report comes from
Laurel, RridgeVille, FELTON, and other
peach centres, and it is but a fair de-
duction to suppose that the extreme
cold Oflast week killed every bud in
full bloom, while It may be possible,
that bud here and there which had
not yet opened, may live. Warm win
ters do not suit peach growers. This
part of Delaware will not feel the loss
of peaches so bad as other sections be.
cause of the great amount of scarlet
clover seed grown and saved here.
The Chestertown NeiOs says: That
where the blooms were full the peach
germs are injured, but that there were
plenty unopened buds on all varieties
to yet give a good crop. The danger
however, is not yet passed. Nearly
three months of peril is yet in the path
of the peach, as the best authorities
agree that it is not safe before the 25th
of June. A number of those inter
viewed give this very sensible advice
as the result of past experience: Put
not trust in peaches-if not fall killed
the winter cold may destroy the wood;
If they escape the winter, then the
spring frosts too often nip the germ;
but should they go unscathed through
ice and snow, and frost and storm, and
yield big crop, then 1t is worse than
a failure, as we have only our labor for
our pains, for we get nothing for the
Fruit So it Is best not to worry about
the crop at all. A very small crop il
better than big one every time.