The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1911-02-06
THE FRANKLIN FRUIT
GROWERS ALARMED
Fear the Warm Weather Has
Jeopardized Orchards
ARTHUR GRIssoM TALKS
Judge Quashes Proceedings to Allow
Negro Bail Who Is Charged with
Arson L Franklin County
Farmers Begin Work

sRusselville, February 5-Large fruit
growers in this part of the state are
becoming very much alarmed over the
continued warm weather, which is caus-
Ing the buds on the fruit trees to swell
weather continues, the buds will be ready
to bloom. This has become a serious
matter with the large fruit growers and
the members of the Franklin County Fruit
Growers. association, as it was expected
that the large orchards which were set
out in this county about three years ago
would bear fruit for the first time during
the coming year. If the continued warm
weather causes the buds to bloom 1t is
certain to cause another fruit failure in
north Alabama.
Even should the atmosphere change at
this time it is feared that the warm
weather for the past week has caused
the buds to mature so fast that the cold
weather which Is sure to come will de-
stroy the fruit. Arthur Grissom, an ex-
tensive orchard man, living near RUSSELL
vile, said. Should the weather change
at this time | fear that the warmth of
the past. few days has been extensive
enough to cause a heavy falling off In
are expecting much from the large or
chards which the members of the Franklin
Fruit Growers association have placed
out in this county and we had hoped
that the first year would be a favorable
one Even though we should make a
failure for this season no let up will be
made in the development of the fruit
bearing interests of this county and the
members of the association are deter
mined to make this county one of the
richest in the state along the lines which
the Franklin County Fruit Growers as
ISOLATION have in view
R. H. Ellsworth, the general manager
of the fruit growers association, while
very much alarmed over the continued
warm weather, is not yet discouraged
and his hopes are that the season will
yet turn out for the best interests of the
fruit growers in the northwest part of
Alabama
Yesterday morning, in county court,
before Judge Sidney J. Petree, habeas
corpus proceedings were heard which had
as it's object allowing Rufus Pruitt, an
illiterates negro boy, to leave the con-
fines of the county jail on bail. Pruitt
has been confined in Jail for several
months on the charge of arson, and his
case was continued from the last ses-
sion of the circuit court to the spring
term. Judge Petree quashed the habeas
corpus proceedings and remanded Pruitt
to the county Jail without bond to await
the next term of circuit court, which
convenes the first Monday in May.
The warm weather of the past few
days have caused Franklin county farm
er to gather their farming implements
together and many are now actively at
work in their crops for the yee- 1911 A
large amount of the land In Il county
was turned by the farmers y. the fall.
One good showing which is being made
by large majority Of the Franklin coun-
ty farmers Is that they have decreased
their cotton acreage to a marked degree
and now have corn, oats, and all other
by products. The farmers of this county
are also becoming interested in raising
blooded hogs and a number of men have
become engaged in raising hogs for the
market.