The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-14
NO GRAPES THIS YEAR.
Chautauqua Belt Stripped
for Miles of Its Bios
SONS.
SMALL FRUITS ARE DESTROYED
At Some Points the Frost Is Sue
ceeded by a Heavy. Fall Of
Snow.

NEW YORK, N. Y, May 13.-Reports
from many sections of the State indicate
that last nights frost did an immense
amount of damage to growing vegetables
crops and fruit. kilograms from Dunkirk
state the entire grape crop of Chautauqua
grape belt was ruined. The loss is esti-
mated at 81 800, 900 in this belt.
The Chautauqua grape belt extends
through Erie County westward to Erie. 1t
occupies strip from six to eight miles in
width along the southern shores of Lake
Erie.
The number of acres bearing grapes last
year was $4,000. This year $1,000 acres
would have been bearing. The vines were
loaded with blossom-buds last evening and
to-day from one end of the belt to the
other the vineyards are nothing but black
ened ruins, and have the appearance of
having been visited by fire. Three thou
sand six hundred cars were loaded from
the belt last season.
At Westfeld the vines were entirely cut
down. Some growers will pillow up their
vineyards and return to the old style of
farming. Brockton, generally known as
the center of the Chautauqua grape belt,
is in mourning to-day. Nothing is raised
there but grapes and the frost of last night
cut them all down.
Jerry Hickman, the millionaire grower
and wine manufacturer, says the loss in
the belt by reason of the destruction done
to the grapes will reach at least 81 100000.
His own loss he estimates at $780, 900.
At Fredonia nothing of the grape crop
can be saved.
BUFFALO, N. Y, May 13.-Dispatches
from all over Western New York prove
this section of the State has suffered from
the frost. Along the grape belt in Chau-
tauqua County the grape-growers took
melancholy outlook, and some messages
state that the crop is entirely destroyed.
In Niagara County small fruits are fire.
quently raised. There is disposition to
take gloomy view of the ravages of the
frost, but conservative judges think the
damage not general or severe. Next to
grapes strawberries, perhaps, have been
more seriously hurt.
In Allegheny County the lowest tenn
perature recorded was 25 deg, and it is
likely all kinds of fruit have been damaged.
Dispatches from Western Ontario indi-
cate that the temperature was very low
there and the damage perhaps very much
heavier than on this side of the border.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINI, May 13.-Last
nights frost was severe in Minnesota and
South Dakota. Snow fell at Ely, Tower
and Iron Range points. Garden truck and
small fruits suffered badly, and grain in a
lesser degree. Wheat is reported damaged
slightly and oats badly in some quarters.
Cranberries, strawberries and other small
fruits in Western Wisconsin are frozen
solid.
GREEN BAY, Wis, May ia severe
blizzard prevailed here from midnight to
ga. NJ. to-day. Three inches of snow fell,
accompanied by wind blowing at forty
miles an hour. Great damage has resulted
to the fruit market, gardens and growing
grain.
OSHKOSH, WIS, May 13.-An inch of
snow fell here to-day, and the thermom-
eter is at freezing point. Great damage
has been done to the early fruit and gar
dens.
PITTSBURG, Pa, May 13.-This morn
ing the thermometers in and about Pitts
burg marked 30 degrees. There was
heavy frost, and in many places ice an
eighth of an inch was formed. Most of
the early garden truck and small fruits
were destroyed. Nearly all the apples on
low ground are frosted.
Reports from all over Western Pennsyl-
vania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia
indicate that the frost was as severe there
as here.