The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-03-21
The February Freeze in Flor
ida After Three Weeks of
RecuperatiOn.
BARLOW, FLA, March Z, 1899

BARLOW, FLA, March 7, 1899.
Ed. REPUBLICAN, Bsllefontaine, Ohio.
DEAR FRIEND:-I note with surprise |
that some of our Ohio friends have got
the impression that "Al Florida has
been ruined by the recent cold" Be-
lieving that most of your readers would
be interested in our welfare, thought it
would be we'll to enlighten them by
giving you a description of our exper-
fence.
Up to and including Feb. IL there had
been no cold to do any damage. You
may think that morning glories would
be out of place in February. Well, they
were, this time. February II opened
beautifully. AIamandas, hibiscus, roses
and many other flowers were out in full
dress. had morning glory vine that
measured over thirty-three (33) feet,
trained over the veranda. OF course we
were proud of them and did not know
what was in store for US. But during
the day there was q. great deal
of thunder off to the south and south
west Of us. 1t began to rain here in the
evening. We went to bed early.
About three o'clock next morning,
18th, was awakened by the sensation
of blizzard having struck us. got up
and dressed in hurry, for I was chilly.
1 went out on the veranda and Witnessed
lsomething that natives, older than am,
had never seen before. It was really
snowing, but it did not last long. The
mercury did not get to the free zing point
until about o'clock p. M, and by seven
o'clock on the morning of the 14th it had
reached 250 here, and at Barlow, only
81 miles from here, it marked from 1S0
to 900, giving us the advantage of
several degrees on account of elevation.
But there places in the northern part
of the state where it reached zero and
even lower.
Three weeks have now elaped. I am
now able to give you a truthful state
} ment as to damage done. "Ruined"
may apply to the orange industry foI
} the northern half of the state. As for
, this locality, or Polk county at large,
we are only slightly damaged. (And if
we were real selfish we might say that
we have been benefitted). Polk county
will mature more oranges this year than
she did last year and at better price.
Ny orange trees are looking more
beautiful than ever in their new dress
and are looking up for full crop. OF
course our beautiful flowers were very
sick and most of them are killed back to
the ground, but even the morning
glories are sprouting up again and in q
few weeks you would hardly know there
had been freeze. The lemons, lines
and guavas (cusvs) were seriously dam.
aged and will not make crop this year
Strawberries were in full fruit, were set
back, but are fruiting again vigorous al
ever. Watermelons and cucumbers are
putting on second leaves and will not be
much behind the usual date, May l
Onions, mustard, Gale. callard etc., were
not injured at all, so that we can keer
right on eating "green fodder"
must relate funny incident of tn,
"snow furry" An old lady of the neigh
borhood got out on her veranda on tn,
morning of the 18Th, and saw scattered
all over the floor what she thought to b.
ashes, and began to scold such careless
ness and did not discover the difference
until her son, who had been north
{ showed her that it was snow. Rea
snow. The fAksy pine ashes are easil!
scattered by the wind, and it was Al
easy matter for the old lady to mistake
the snow for somebody's carelessnees il
taking up the ashes.
This is the way a "Cracker" wrot
4. poetry the same morning:
1.-THE snow! the snow! the horrid snow,
See the cold flakes as they come and 60.
They are quite noiseless as they fall,
But o'er our hopes they cast pail,
Taking from our homes the promise bright,
Contrast our prospects and the snow SO white
Alas! for the crops of which we were so proud
Theyiare dead; their snow is their shroud,
The field that fed them is their tomb.
We haven't even the fragrance of the bloom
Of the or ange tree, by the window there.
Blighted are our prospects, great our care,
J But why should we murmur o'er the freeze,
God hath spared much more than orange tree
Mercy may come in robe of spotless white,
As came the snow of last Sunday night,
Leaving poorer in the goods of this land,
To teach us dependence upon the Father
Il hand"
al How different it sounds from the Joy
GUS ring of the sleighbells and the merr
clang of the toboggan gang? But it onl
= lasted few hours here-just long enoug
,e to "blight our prospects." But reall
we should not "murmur." How quickl
n everything RECEIVERS? Three weeks b.
- elapsed and today the weather is G
I'd delightful, the sun 60 bright, the breez
81 so soft, the beautiful flowers are shown
It. their buds. and all Nature seems [
- - laugh at our awful fright of a few day
rs ago. We often wish that we could shal
m some of our delightful sunshine wit