Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-04-07
THE FREEZE AND THE FRUIT CROP.


Conditions That Indicate Serious Damage,
Although the Situation May Not be as bad
as 10 Now Feared.
All Monday morning the snow held
quiet sway over this Peninsula. After
an unusually mild March which gave
thu fruit trces gool start towRrdB
bloom, April brings freeziug tempera-
ture and snow storm. Tho snow has
thrown a veil of white upon the trees
which is pleasing to the eve, but very
Injurious. 1t is feared, to budding fruit.
An instance Of the effect OF the storm
was displayed on Monday by Fl. II.
McMullin Of State Road, ex-Spaaker of
thu House Of Representatives. AS a
correspondent OF the Agricultural Blu
reau he is accustomed to keep informed
of crop prospects. Mr.. McMullin came
to town this morning and finding a
penr tree, broke off small branch con !.
tanning half dozen punches Of buds.
In each OF tho little groups of buds was
ball of snow, reminding one of stone
in setting Close examination of tho
buds indicated that they we're frozen
and in number of instances Mr.. Nc
believes the effect will be the same on
most OF the fruit trees throughout the
State.
lio was uHked as to the result of
such Htorm on the fruit crop. My
opinion is it will be almost total loss
almost total destruction, except
perhaps the apDles," replied the ex-
speaker. There are certain varieties
OF the apples not far enough advanced
for this storm to iniure. If it had not
heen freezing temperature, the snow
itself might not have been 30 disastrous.
The mild weather we had in March il
unprecedented. It advanced the fruit.
] never remember of the hluom being
80 far advanced at this time OF the
year.
1.-The money loss will be immense on
this Peninsula. -
Dover, April 4.-Reports from Sussex
county and the lower part Of Kent con-
cerning fruit prospects, are not encour-
aging. Rain Saturday night, ice yes
terday morning and ice and frost this
morning, which were the conditions in
great portion of Sussex county, seri-
ously affected the peach trees, while
other fruit trees suffered considerably.
Representative E. q. Dukes of NJ ill
vile, Sussex county, believes the dam
age to the peach crop is most serious.
Representative Whitney of near
Bridgeville. Sussex county, says all
fruit which had nut out buds is killed,
but some trees were not out and may
not be damaged
The full result of the freeze may not
be known for several days.
Senator Fenimore of Leipsic, Kent
county, thinks no great daamgs has
been done, as the trees we're dry when
the freeze came.
Easton. Md. April "a 30-degree
temperature prevailed on Thursday in
all parts Of the county, except the salt
water sections. Ice formed aud the
ground was crusted. Reports have been
received here that no damage was done
the fruit buds.
Dover, April 5.--The suowstorm ia
general throughout the State. and at
noon it was raging in every county,
Sussex county farmers report that in
sonle parts of the county all of the
peach buds have been destroyed, while
in other localities between 10 and 90
per cent are unharmeu.
A II of the strawberry blossoms which
were out have been killed, hut only
small percentage was in bloom when
the storm set in. Therefore. il is be-
loved the strawberry crop will not be
very much affected. 1t has not been
learned to what extent pears have suf-
fered, but nothing serious is antici-
paied in this direction.
William Il. Hazell of Ksnton, a Kent
county farmer, said IL was impossible
tn tell what the result would be in his
neighhorhood, but no believes there
will be fair crop of peaches from
Kent county. He does not think other
fruit 10 much damaged.
Bridgeville, April D. - Yesterday
morning. which was frosty, made tho
fourth successive morning that the
peaches have undoubtedly been in
jured. feHterday's frost was the
heaviest. and the weather was very
cool. In the midst of this severe
weather, many trees give promise of a
crop of peaches. The trees were literally
covered with buds. Farmers say that
they do not remember VIXEN there were
So many buds on the trees. The frosts
have virtually been thinning out pro-
cess, and it is not TO he regretted unless
tine thinning out continues until all the
buds are destroyed.
Laurel, April i. Peach growers in
this vicinity say that ono fourth of the
psaches were killed by tho trout yestur-
day morning.
Denton, Md, April .. Tho freeze OF
Sunday night, accompanied by consid-
cradle frost, uid fruit vast harm. Tia
general impression among representative
farmers from all parts of the county is
that but q small portion OF The buds
are alive. The ground was frozen about
half an inch.
TIE TEAM HfS Nv MOTION.
Lewis higgins Jumped on His Wounds
We're Dressed at Chester Hospital
Lewis Higgins OF No. ZIG Jefferson
street. this city, was taken 10 the Ches-
ter Hospital on SsSurday, suffering
from severe oontusions on his head.
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