The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-01-19
MORE ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA
FREEZE


Packer furnishes the following addi-
tional information of the California
freeze:
Two years ago when a heavy frost
struck the citrus belt of southern Cal
ifornia, various estimates were made
of the damage, running from 5 to 80
per cent, each estimate being based
on someone's honest belief. On these
estimates some must have been cor
rect, but the exact damage could not
be argued until the season was past
entirely, when no one took the trou-
| BILE to investigate.
| Injury to oranges by frost is some
thing which cannot be determined
day after or a week after, and can
only be estimated month after.
Different conditions in different To-
calities make it impossible to arrive
at exact figures, but it is said grow
ers fear the damage in the recent
freeze has been considerably more
than they are willing to admit. Some
shippers admit the damage in the
Riverside section in some groves will
amount to so per cent; in others, 25
per cent. AS days go by, weather
conditions may raise or lower these
estimates. The present conditions
are not proving as bad as thought, but
it is fact that there are bad spots ev-
erywhere, with the possible exception
of San Diego county, which is report
ed untouched. In some canyons and
draws, which are generally immune
from frost, trees and outside fruit
have been nipped, while in open high
places little damage is shown. The
lowlands around Cotton and River
side, including Arlington Heights,
probably suffered the worst. Howev-
er, inside fruit and fruit under skirt
of the tree was not damaged.
This district is now reaping the re.
suit of experience, which dates back
more than thirty years. Not until the
iron horse of the Santa Fee came thun-
dering through the Sangogonio Pass
did oranges take on commercial as
pect in California, and many years
after before there was what could be
called an orange industry. In 1873,
what is known as the Washington ma
vel was propagated at Riverside from
Brazilian stock. 1t has been many
years since then and time has proved
beyond a doubt that there is a large
amount of acreage around these low
lands which should never have been
put into oranges. The owners Of
these groves, however, defer cutting
out the trees thus and surrendering
the fruits of their labor Therefore,
with unusual weather, there will gen.
orally be frost oranges in California
Two years ago it was claimed that
there were 1000 cars of oranges ship
ped east after the frost which did not
pay freight. Such will not be the case
this season. Two years ago the frost
was the worst in the history up to
that time. Growers decided they
were going to get all there was in it,
but after picking, packing and haul
ing charges, together with freight.
which in most cases amounted TO
nearly $3.50 per box, they lost heav-
lily. This alone will make them eau
tious this year. There are other.
things which will protect eastern buy
ers. e
One popularity of the freeze is that
most of the fruit which was frosted
has developed brown spots, indicating
that the cell of the peeling was injur-
ed and the oil lost, which causes spots
to dry and turn brown. One shipper
in the Riverside section says that
frosted fruit will eliminate itself, pro-
viding growers will allow it to do So
Packing houses generally are running
slow, for shippers prefer to await de-
velopments and play safe.
Government inspectors in the field,
with the idea of condemning and pro-
hibiting the shipment of frozen fruit,
have reported that they had already
notified shippers in the Riverside Sec
ton.