The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-05-04
BELIEVE FRUIT
WILL ESCAPE
MUCH DAMAGE
Unreasonable Weather Causes
Some Alarm Among Or
chardists in Northern and
Central Parts of State.
GROWERS MAY USE
THEIR SMUDGE POTS
Temperature at Time of Clear
ing Up Will Determine
Effect of Snow on
Blossoms.

r a.i5 o'clock yesterday morning
~ the mist and heavy clouds that
IA hung over the city Thursday
L n night developed into a steady fall
OF rain and a O'Clock chapged
INTO heavy precipitation Of wet snow
which continued throughout The morn
Ing. In the afternoon light rain. mixed
with sieet- fell steadily until 8 o'clock
last night, when the skies cleared mo-
mcntaHly only to become couded over
again Which condition prevailed until a
late hour. With the exception OF May 9,
lSs?. yesterday WAS the coolest May 8
OH record in this state. The minimum
temperature was reached at noon yes
tcrday, when the thermometer fell To SO
degrees, Yesterdays record at the
weather bureau also showed that nearly
seren inches OF snow fell YESTERDAY.
though it was wet and, for the most
part. melted as soon as it fell, j. Cecil
Alter acting director of the local weather
bureau. said yesterday that the weather
conditions, as evidenced in this city,
prevailed only Throughout northern Ctah
and as far south as Provo
Fruit Growers Warned.
The greatest anxiety yesterday and last
night was felt by the fruItgroNcrs OF
the state and the weather forecaster
warned the fruit men 10 have smudge
pots in readiness TO save the crops. Al
fred II. ThieSsen, director OF the Salt
Lake weather bureau went to Provo TO
aid the orchardmen and to direct the
battle against Jack Frost. Mr.. Thies-
sen was constantly in Geographic COM
munication with distant points yesterday
in order TO catch the first warning of an
approaching cold snap.
j. Edward Taylor. state horticultural
inspector. and other authorities said yes
terday that the exact effect OF the
weather upon the fruit crops could not
be ascerlained until this morning. Ac-
cordiuS to Mr.. Taylor. everything de-
pended upon the manner in which the
weather cleared, and he added that the
fruit OF this stale would be safe. with
tho aid of smudge pots. until the thcr-
dropped below % degrees.
From barometrical Indications yester-
day he gave it as his opinion that the
clearup would come gradually, leaving
sufficient moisture in the air after the
storm to prevent damaging frost. Re-
ports that he received yesterday from
mate, which he had made from local
prospects
Result Is Uncertain.
horticultural experts OF the city and
ounty were reluctant yesterday TO cx-
,ress opinions as to the probable effect on
he fruit crop of the snowstorm of yes
erday. They united In the statement
hat a positive opinion could not be
ormed earlier than . O'clock today. de-
'ending entirely on conditions late last
light and 10 the early hours of today.
]. c. Stay. horticultural Inspector for
'alt Lake county and a recognized au-
hority, says:
The fruit conditions up to the
evening Of May remain good as to
most varieties. The aprIcota and
sweet cherries suffered the most
with the last spell of frost. but
good crop of these varieties remains
in many localities This condition
may continue ii the night remains
cloudy and stormy. but. on The other
hand. II it clears up before o'clock
tomorrow morning it Will go hard on
the stone fruit. as the peaches and
cherries are in full bloom
II viii require u very cold snap to
affect the apples. they are not
out az yet. The pears will not stand
as much frost the apples. It will
be impossible to forecast the out
come Of this storm until the weather
clears and II depends entirely on
what time IL clears up.
The snowstorm of today has
broken many limbs from trees car
faii nf
shade trees