The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-01
ANOTHER FLORIDA FREEZE.
Rev. IrI II. Hicks Predicts One for
January.


Maitland. Fla, Nov "a burnt child
is said to dread the fire. and perhaps on
that principle the orange growers of Flor
ida, needing Hicks advice to prepare for
a cold snap, are already banking and COW
ering their trees, in view of another dis
astrous freeze, but less severe than that
of last winter. According to Hicks, the
forecasts for January show that the same
causes Will then perturb and intensity
the elements that existed and prevailed
during the destructive freeze of last Feb
ruary
However. he tells us that Jupiter has
largely lost his power of intensifying the
then prevailing elements, and this fact
VIII make the freeze much less danger
GUS. There Is, despite this favorable feat
ure, enough to warrant "bountiful'
provision against severe winter storms,
'even far to the south" The man who
needs this advice, he adds, will find that
OUTLAWS It all within reasons bounds, will
bring him corresponding reward"
Well, the advice has been very readily
accepted by those who are eager to reap
the corresponding reward" Although
the freeze is set for January, the bounti-
ful provisions have been made or are be-
ing made to protect the new growth on
the old trees as well as the young trees
trees that nave been set out the past sum
mer so that if an earlier cold snap should
come this way it would not find us un-
prepared for its advent
How 10 protect the trees has been a
subject of much discussion since Hicks
alarm was sounded, and the plans sug-
gested are numerous. Last winters ex-
-periments in saving trees have been
eagerly inquired about and adopted by
many persons. school teacher near
Ocala mad some siX-year old trees that
he bent over and covered, or banked with
art thereby saving them and getting
oranges this fan from June blooms
Another grower at Altamonte Springs has
left his trees upright and banked them
with dirt way up into the branches. This
plan requires both a large amount of
dirt and great deal of labor, and yet
leaves the top of the tree exposed, unless
ne intends, later on, to cover ii with
some protecting material.
i do not favor either of these plans.
Where my shoots have come from the old
trees have banked from one to two feet,
so as to fully protect the old stub. My
trees being cut close to the ground-as
well as the bottoms of the new growth.
Then have wrapped the stocks with hay
and wound them with newspapers using
in some cases water proof roofing paper.
When the latter IS used a tube can be
made of it and sand poured in around the
tree. AS all my trees were cut to the
ground and have saved only one or two
good healthy shoots from the roots of the
old trees, | can easily protect the tender
tops of my trees, later on. by covering
them with hay or old bagging But where
the trees were simply trimmed of dead
branches, etc, and now have a profusion
of spreading shoots, ii will be a labOrious
and expensive job to fully protect them
from a severe freeze.
In the famous Dommerich grove, on
Lake H1aWatha, where the trees present
as well as new growth, Supt. Hugh Allen,
an experienced and successful grove cul-
turist, proposes to use large quantities
of hay, having cut nearly sixty tons on
the cheapest and most convenient pro-
lection, and as every prudent and indus
trious orange grower has this summer
cut large-quantities of hay, it is possible
that plan may be largely adopted as 4;
can be applied to the entire tree after
the bottom has been properly banked with
earth to fully protect the roots.
OF course, winter residents who have
but few trees around their homes can
readily protect them in a variety of.Ways
as the outlay in any case, will be verv
small. No wise man with a few trees no
matter how poor he may be. can AFFORD
to leave his trees unprotected. He can
find enough material of some kind with
which to cover them above the sand
which he can bank up around them with
out any expense. If we are to have an
other destructive freeze. the saving Of
a few good orange. lemon and grape fruit
trees and guaVa bushes about the home
place viii prove a bonanza in the hear
future Many large grove owners. how
ever, do not feel able to make any effort
to protect their trees and will simply
trust to luck to escape a second ca
lamity.
While there is no desire to alarm the
people. it is the part of wisdom to advise
all who can do so to fully protect their
trees. If they cannot give them full pro-
lection, they certainly can bank them UP
with sand and thereby insure a healthy
foundation from which to start new trees
next spring. This, of course, refers 10
small groves around the family residence
1t is pretty generally conceded that an
other disastrous freeze this coming win
ter will settle orange growing as a prof.
table industry in many parts of Florida
where it has heretofore fourished DESPITE
occasional cold snaps
We have demonstrated this summer that
without bearing groves we can live by
diversified farming, even I'm the sandy re-
gion OF the state People i'm very deli
cate health will still be obliged TO have
their homes here all the year round. while
thousands Of others less delicate will
be compelled 10 spend the cold months
IA our usually genial climate. Altogether.
therefore, We need not anticipate dlsas.
ter Without any CLEAN Of hope. n is pos
sible perhaps probable that Hicks me-.
dictlon may not Doe well-founded. and fhaf
after all We may have. as some OF th,
ouclals ~ the national weather depart
ment anticipate. "a mild OF Opeu winter n
We prepare Tor The worst we shall be- All
right in any event