The daily sentinel., 1908-05-01
Statement to the Fruit Trade to the Growers and the Public Care
fully Prepared by John F. Moore Enthusiastic Over
Smudging Demonstration and Declares the Valley
Need Never Lose Another Crop

JOnn n. moore, IududSeT VI Tic
Grand Junction Fruit Growers As
sociation and the best posted fruit
man in Colorado, a man thoroughly
familiar with every condition that
surrounds the great fruit industry of
this valley and who has handled
through the association the great
bulk of the fruit crop harvested in
this valley every year since the fruit
industry has been followed, has pre-
pared an interesting and most i'm
portant statement concerning the
fruit situation as it stands today. In
this statement he deals to some
length with the fact that it has been
demonstrated that the Grand valley
need never lose another fruit crop if
systematic smudging is done. He
declares that the demonstration
made is worth great fortunes to the
valley, and he shows that the nee
essary steps will be taken to provide
for the protection of every growers
crop next season.
Mr.. Moore's statement is most en-
couraging. He gives the promise of
a big crop this season. He is opti-
mistic, yet conservative.
This is the first statement Mr.
Moore has given out on the situation
with the exception of the short
statement made in The Sentinel last
Monday.
The statement follows:
81 have been asked repeatedly
during the past few days for state
ments as to the extent of the dam
age done in the valley by the recent
frosts and as to my opinion regard
ing the success of smudging to save
the crops.
A Statement of Facts.
"Our growers and members of the
association are scattered all over the
valley, and naturally each would like
to know how every other fruit sec
tion of the valley has weathered the
frosts. Many inquiries along this
line are coming to me each day.
Desiring to give our growers all
the information possible, and believ-
ing it advisable to make statement
based on the results of thorough in
vestigations and reliable informa-
ton, / have decided to, in as brief
manner as possible, let the facts as
they have come to me be known.
Loss is IA Million.
''In my opinion the damage by the
freezes of April 25 and &c has
caused a loss of fully a million dol
lars to the fruit growers of the Grand
valley, DuL lHdl llcle 10 d s3oOu Di5
crop left to be harvested this season
there can be no doubt. From the
reports at hand it is certain that
there is much fruit left in nearly
every section of the valley.
The Estimates Made.
'To give the growers and the pub
lie in general the estimates we have
carefully made after making care
full investigations, / herewith pub
lish copy of the letter which j am
mailing tonight to each fruit buyer
and member of the fruit trade with
whom we have had or will have deal
ings.
The Letter to the Trade.
Grand Junction, Colo,
May | 1908.
To the Fruit Trade:
Answering the numerous inquir-
les We have received in regard to the
damage done to the fruit crops of
this valley by the recent frosts, we
are in position, after making careful
Investigations and after receiving in
formation from all of our fruit dis
tricts, to make the following report
to the trade:
The Palisade district would have
had at least 400 cars of peaches and
100 cars of apples end pears to ship
out had there been no damage by
frosts. However, the damage in the
Palisade district Is light, and we es-
innate that there will now be shipped
from that district about 800 cars of
peaches and about 100 cars of pears
and apples.
The Clifton, Grand Junction and
Fruita districts would, under favor
able conditions, have had for ship
ment this season 700 cars of peach
es, 400 cars of pears and about O.
500 cars of apples.
1t is impossible at the present time
to tell the exact amount of the dam
age done in these districts, and es-
pecially is 1t hard to determine the
\ AATECIC "AHEI