Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1906-03-23
HEAVY FROST BLIGHTS
GEORGIA PEACH CROP
Over Fifty Per Cent. Loss Is
Sustained.
FORT VALLEY SECTION is SAFE
Orchards at CorneIia and Norcross and
Many North Georgia Sections Bore
5runt of the Early Morning Cold.
More than 1000 Cars in Ft. Valley.

Atlanta, March 22.-While reports
received in Atlanta Wednesday from
all parts Of the state in regard to the
damage done to the fruit crop were
meager, those that were received es-
timated the loss at from so per cent
to 100 per cent in the northern portion
of Georgia
Word has been received late from
Fort Valley to the effect that the fruit
crop in that section was uninjured ex.
cept in very low places.
1t is estimated that there are more
than 1000 cars in this Ft Valley sec
ton, and this fact means much for the
fruit interests of Georgia, if the dam
age is as severe as is reported in the
central and northern sections.
A dispatch received from Norcross
stated it was believed all of the peach
crop had been killed.
Dispatches received by officials of
the Southern railway were much more
optimistic and hopeful regarding the
loss and injury to the fruit crop as a
result Of the freezing temperatures and
heavy frost of Wednesday.
COrnelia, which in the afternoon re-
ported total killing of the fruit, stat
ed that further examination showed
that only about so per cent of the
blossoms had been killed. A reliable
authority at Dalton telegraphed that
only 25 per cent Of the crop had been
killed in that section and that this
loss was confined almost entirely to
trees in the low places. These re.
ports cover two of the largest peach
sections in the entire state, and made
railroad officials much more hopeful
of Georgia's producing a good sized
crop this year in spite of the big freeze.
Railroad men, fruit men and those
pertinently interested in peaches stat.
ed that it wouldn't do to get too dis.
couraged over the reports, because it
would be impossible to estimate the
real loss until two or three days 0f
warm weather had followed the low
drop of the thermometer.
Owing to the mild and open winter,
a large produce merchant said that
the fruit men in Georgia generally
had rather expected that the crop
would be very greatly damaged or
killed outright this year because OF
the years of plenty that have followed
each other for the past six years.
While all of these past six years have
not shown very large crops, large sums
of money have been realized each wear
while the output of 1904, 1900 cars.
was the largest crop in the history Of
the state.
Although the crop last year was
only 2,445 cars, much more than two
million dollars was realized from this
industry The same man who is con,
stdered an authority in the science of
fruit growing, said that fruit men ex.
pected the crop to be killed about once
in every three or four years and that
nature had already been much more
kindly than they had any reason to ex.
pect for the past six years
Several branches OF peach blossoms
were sent IN TO the railroad officials
from northern parts of the state for
critical and expert examination. It
was found that the stamens in most
of the blossoms were black, showing
that they were killed outright. Others
showed that they were affected and
growers say that this will mean the
dropping off of these peaches when
they are about half their normal size
In May. 1t was also reported that
tre sap was frozen in the trees in
some Of the northern portions of the
state and that this would be responsi.
BILE for the dropping and rotting of the
fruit before it matured for the market.
One big advantage to growers this
year is the exceptionally large mum.
Der of blossoms on the trees. It is
hoped that while many are killed out.
right the large number of these bios.
SONS will still leave enough to make a
fair crop or some kind Of a crop for
Georgia under even the worst condi,
tiOns.