The record-union., 1897-12-22
An UNUSUALLY COLD WAVE.
IT SWEEPS TIE STATE FROM
END TO END.
The Weather Cold and Clear, but
Farmers Not Suffering
for Rain.

! Weekly crop bulletin of the California
Section, United States Department OF
Agriculture, Climate and Crop Service
for the week ending December Z0th:
| The following summary of the climate
and crop conditions is based upon re-
| ports received from eight Weather bu-
reau Stations, fiftytwo telegrapnlc re-
ports received through the courtesy OF
| the Southern Pacific Company, ana
many reports scattered throughout the
State. Telegraphic summaries are also
received from the Observers at Los An
geles and Eureka, based upon reports
| received by them from correspondents
in their districts:
Continued cold dry weather with
heavy, and in some localities injurious
frost has characterized the week. The
temperature without exception has been
below the normal for this time of the
year. In the great valleys of the State
the minimum temperatures have been
about or below the freezing point for
three mornings
The rainfall has been deficient every
where except in the northwestern coast
counties, where the rainfall has been
generous. In the great valleys and in
all the country south of the Tehachapi,
the rainfall has been far bslow the
normal.
On Wednesday morning warnings
were sent by the Weather Bureau of
the liability of frost on Thursday night
that would prove injurious to citrus
fruit, and on Thursday, Friday, Satur-
day and Sunday warnings Of severe
frost and the necessity Of active and
continued measures for protection We're
issued and widely distributed.
The frosts Of December Sd, 4th and
9th very nearly reached the danger
point, and the effects We're probably
to a considerable degree nlinimized by
smudging. At the time of going to
press it is not known whether or not
the efforts Of orange growers to smudge
and protect their fruit have been very
generally successful during the present
frosts. The conditions were probably
, or 3 degrees colder than on December
4th
The average conditions for the week
ending December 20, 1897, were:
observation-disclosures Al degrees, Red
Bluff A, Sacramento "A, San Francisco
4S, Fresno ~, San Luis Obispo 45, Los
Angeles 30, San Diego 53.
Rainfall-Eureka 232 inches: Red
Bluff 0.40, Sacramento OBS, San Fran
cisco 0.12 Fresno 0.1S, San Luis Obs
po oil, Los Angeles 0.04, San Diego
022.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY.
Shasta County Cold with heavy
frost; no damage to trees
Glenn County-Clear and cold with
needed.
Butte County-Orange crop nearly
secured; rains have been of great ben
eft to grain, which looks fine.
Yolo County-Cold, with winds and
heavy frosts; plowing commenced; or
chardists pruning; ground dry.
Solano County-Ranchers very busy
plowing and sowing; orchardists prun-
ing.
El Dorado County-Farmers through
seeding; cold and pleasant.
| Sacramento County-Heavy frosts
and light rains; oranges in carloads
moving East: farmers getting in their
grain in good shape
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.
San Joaquin County-Killing frosts;
low temperatures; all crops harvested.
! Stanislaus County-Dry and cold;
heavy frosts; plowing progressing slow
| ly farmers waiting for rain.
! Kern County-Rain and frosts ship
! ping oranges; plowing and seeding in
| earnest.
| Merced County-Cold nights with
heavy frosts; farmers plowing and
seeding.
Fresno County-Cold with heavy
! frosts; seeding almost finished; rain
much needed; the frost of Monday
morning was the most severe but one
known in December for the past ten
years; ripe fruit was damaged, If not
ruined; many plucked their fruit Sum
day.
Kings Cpunty-Dry and cold; temper
ature at Armona 20 degrees Monday
morning; farmers continue to plow and
seed; rain needed for early sown grain
| Tulare County--Very dry with severe
frosts daily; still plowing and seeding;
severe frosts Sunday night evidently
did some damage, but it is too early
yet to determine.
COAST AND BAY SECTIONS.
| Humboldt County-Plowing some
what retarded by heavy rainfall: past
urages doing we'll; stock doing we'll
Napa County-Clear and cold: rain
on the 18th fitted the ground for plow-
ing and seeding, which the farmers are
| busily doing: the growth Of grass Is
retarded by severe frosts. Orchardists
| busy pruning; trees show heavily with
/ fruit buds
S0norna Colrnfy-TTea1yv froS+c ba,ra
done considerable damage to seed;
farmers plowing.
Contra Costa County-Rain at be-
ginning of week followed by killing
frost; rain is needed; seeding nearly
over.
Alameda County = Farmers busy
plowing.
Santa Clara County-Killing frost;
plowing and pruning; more rain need
ed
Santa Cruz County-Clear and cold;
heavy frosts; plowing.
San Mateo County-Heavy frost ev-
cry morning during the week; farmers
have their work well advanced.
Monterey County-very cold with
heavy frosts and light showers; farm
ers through plowing; summer fallow-
ing for beets
San Luis Obispo County-Short feed
and cold weather telling on stock.
Santa Barbara County-CIear and
cold with flosts; rain needed.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
Los Angeles County-TIeavy frosts
and light rains; some damage to or
anges and lemons reported: some plow-
ing in DfOoreSS- n ho11t baIf of x,-baat