The Delta independent., 1912-09-27
THEPEACHES AND
THE EARLY FROST
CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE DONE
IN PLACES By FREEZE OF
LAST WEEK.
Surface Creek Mesa Probably Lost
the Least-Cutput of Peaches
Will Still be Large, Though
Great Crop Will be
Much LesSened.

That the freeze last Saturday
morning damaged late peaches over
the county, there is no use denying.
The cold wave, which was general,
began with the equinoxial season,
setting in with an almost general
snow storm. The peaches remained
unhurt fer week after the snow
storm period and their picking and
packing was being rushed as fast as
possible, with hundreds of outside
helpers. Many peaches were ship
ped, but there remained something
like 1000 carloads on the trees OF
Delta county orchards, a part of
foliage or the air currents, escaped
the effects of the freezing.
AS has been usual in this vicin-
ity when other freezes occurred, the
damage done a week ago to the re-
naming peach crop of Delta county
was freakish, freezing the peaches
in one orchard, or part of an or
chard, and leaving other trees or
other whole orchards unharmed.
This is said to be especially true
of the Surface Greek district. the
peaches there being later than any
in the county to ripen. DR.. Gibbs
reports his peaches as entirely un-
harmed, as does also G. NJ. Gwynn
of the Sunnyside Fruit Farm and
great many others are either max
ing a like report or one TO the ef-
feet that but a part of their peaches
were damaged.
The same thing has occurred in
spring freezes. it having happened
that one half of an orchard was
smitten, while hte other half was
lefb to bear a full crop. In other
cases one orchard was unhurt
and another, Immediately adjoining
was nipped by the frost.
Some explain this phenomena by
explaining that wave currents in the
air control the biting effect of the
frost TO a greater or less extent,
and this is probably correct. In
the matter of the effect of our late
freeze upon the peaches remaining
on the trees. no doubt many trees
We're more protected by their ex-
some others.
In any event it has come to pass
that only a part of the peaches re-
naming 70 be picked, were damaged,
and that there are many yet to go
to market, which at the closing up
of the peach season, are likely TO
bring far better prices than those
shipped when the market was over
crowded.
The blow in peach loss is greatly
lessened by the poor market exist
ing for the fruit and it is possible
that those shipped later may bring
bettere prices.
Many Go Through Safely.
1t was at first reported that w.
p. Stockham. who owns forty-acre
each orchard near Eckert, had lost
fully seventy-five per cent of his
crop by the freeze, but this report
wis uHlOuuQtu. MI. Sbo<hndlu ut-
gan his harvest Monday morning
and expects to get a good yield and
all in good order.
II. c. Getty informs us that his
orchard near Cedaredge. came out Of
the frost in good order and that his
loss from tho freeze would be COM
paratively little.
In the Cory district a majority OF
the orchardists report little or no
damage.
An official record of the temper-
ature during those few days of dan
ger was as follows: Monday,
September /, 81; sunday 81: Mon
day IS and Tuesday "A.
Apples Are Not Hurt.
The cold spell. which this year
put in a record breaking appearance
for earliness. did no damage to the
apple crop. but rather Served to in
crease the ripening and coloring pro-
cess.
Shipping OF Jonathans and some
other varieties will begin in many
orchards early next week.
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County Treasurer Crawford was