The daily sentinel., 1907-05-02
THE FRUIT SITUATION
Reports from Various Sections of the
State Regarding Effects
of Freeze.

The Denver Republican of yester-
| dav contained the following inter-
esting statement regarding the fruit
situation of the state:
| From all parts of the state come
reports and complaints of unseason-
able cold weather. Destructive freeze
ups have been so general that no one
I locally can claim special sympathy.
! The farmers of the southern parts
have Jared as badly as those of the
north. Country people have lost fruit
and city folks have contracted colds
and bad tempers.
Colorado fruit growers are becom-
| ing more hopeful each day over tho
outlook for their crops this year. ac-
| cording to reports which have been
received by the Colorado state com
mercial association. Thee reports
come from members of the associa-
| ton on the western slope and have
been sent only after the damage of
last weeks freezes had been careful
| ly investigated. These reports show
that the average loss to the crops is
about so per cent, but that in no
case is any one variety of fruit killed.
! The increased acreage of the fruit
crop this year, together with the high
er prices which is certain that the
! Colorado fruit will bring. means, 1t is
claimed by many, that despite the
cold the year will be exceptionally
good.
From Delta county come reports
that so per cent of the fruit crop in
that part of the country, with the
single exception of the Jonathan APP
| pie, which escaped by rare good for
tune and hardihood, has been dam
aged badly or destroyed. But for that
the damage is not great in Delta
county as was first reported. And 1t is
said that the increased acreage in
| that part of the state is such that
the shipments this year may not fall
far below those of last year. in spite
of the loss as figured in percentage.
Grand Junction fruit dealers say
that pears and apples equal to half
the usual crop may be expected this
year, Peaches will do even better, II is
said, the Elherta peaches having
borne the brunt of the damage.
From Montrose come the gloomiest
reports. The fruit crops in that coun-
try are, it is reported, practically de-
stroyed. In fact there is nothing left
there, say the dealers, but hay, grain
and vegetables.
And in spite of it all the answer of
the weather man to every impatient
questioner who wants to know when
II VIII end is Cant promise perma-
nent warm weather until the end of
HAY"
The Denver News of yesterday in
speaking along the same line says in
part:
Reports received yesterday by the
/ Colorado State Commercial associa-
ton show that while the fruit on the
Western slope was injured by the re-
cent cold snap, growers In that sec
tion still look forward to a banner
year in many respects.
These reports show that the aver
age loss to the crops is about so per
cent, but that in no case is any one
| variety of fruit entirely killed In
Delta county, Jonathan apples, suffer-
ed severely, while in the Grand River
valley the Elberta peaches are badly
damaged, although other varieties
have been unharmed.
i Fruit growers, however, say that
the increased acreage this year will,
even with the damaged crop, mean
J that in many sections a crop equally