Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1916-03-30
SHORT FRUIT CROP
State HorticuIturist Reports
Severe Winter Did Damage
SLEET CAUSED HEAVY LOSS
indications That There viii Be Short
age of All 1916 Fruit Crops Except
Strawberries-A Complete
Report Later.

Des Moines.-Fruit will not be plen-
tiful in Iowa in 1916, according to
preliminary Investigations made by
Wesley Greene, state horticultural.
The strawberry is the only fruit that
promises a normal yield, he says.
Cherries were damaged by the ice
which froze on the trees and remain
ed for several weeks. The buds were
destroyed, the state official says. Less
than so per cent of crop may be
looked for, in his opinion.
There will be but few peaches"
said Mr.. Greene. The zero weather
killed the buds. Peaches can not
stand severe weather
81 do not look for more than so per
cent of an apple crop. The yield in
1915 was unusually large and for that
reason, the 1916 crop will be smaller.
In Iowa there seldom are two big ap-
Pile crops in successive years. Wheth-
er the weather has damaged the buds
so that there will be further reduc-
ton in the yield, am unable to tell.
Where strawberries were properly
protected, the weather has not hurt
them. There will be the usual crop,
providing nothing develops from now
on to hurt the plants"
Mr.. Greene will issue an official re-
port on April 1, giving the condition
Of all fruits at that time. He does
not expect the report to be very en-
couraging.
With the price of sugar steadily ad-
vancing, the Iowa housewife may find
the lack of fruit for canning to be a
blessing in disguise The dealers in
sugar do not extend any hope that the
price of that commodity will be re-
duced until next winter.
Early Purchase Saves State Money.
The state realized a saving OF $500
on the white lead contract for the
sixteen state institutions under the
board OF control for the next six
months. A few days ago Harry Shrop-
shire, purchasing agent for the board,
let contract for 100000 pounds of this
material at seven and three-fourths
cents a pound Since then the price
has advanced to nine and three
fourths cents pound.
The contract price for white lead
for the past year has been Sc cents a
pound.
Change Fraternal Insurance Laws.
Emory H. English, state insurance
commissioner, has notified fraternal
beneficiary societies that the Iowa law
does not authorize loan values on pol
icies issued. Such loans will not be
accepted by the department as secur-
ity for deposit representing reserve or
accumulated funds of fraternal So
ciety, the commissioner says. Any So
ciety having provision for such loans
in its bylaws must eliminate 1t at the
next meeting of the grand body Of
such organization, according to the
ruling.
Phone Hearing Continued.
The state railroad commission will
set date for additional arguments
in the telephone-transmission line
case. The telephone companies fin
ished presenting their side and the
transmission lines put one witness
on the stand who told OF experiments
conducted In Kansas.
The transmission lines will answer
the arguments of the telephone COM
panies that electric lines put ground
ed telephone lines out of business
when constructed in the immediate
vicinity.
Iowa Prisons Full.
State officials are attempting to ac-
count for the largely increased num-
Der of men being convicted and SEN
fenced to reformatory and prison.
There were 116 men sent to Anamosa
reformatory and FIT. Madison prison
during the months Of January and
February of this year compared with
rs during the corresponding months
OF 1915.
The total number sent to both state
penal institutions all of last year was
only 613, or an average of so for each
two months.
Employe Compensated for Injury.
Compensation to the amount of 1928
per week for a period Of 125 weeks has
been awarded TO NJ. G. Kuhl of Coun
Gil Bluffs, who was injured while in
the employ Of the Iowa School for the
Deaf. He cut his foot on a piece of
glass while working about the insti-
tuition. Blood poisoning set in and
he had to have his foot amputated.
The arbitration committee has just
passed on his case,
Autos Must Be Registered Soon.
Automobile owners in Iowa have
only a few days more in which to reg
lister old cars Cor 1916 to escape the
10 per cent penalty which will be add
ed to the fee after April /.
There are nearly 10000 cars which
were in use in 1915 which have not
been registered for this year. The
secretary of state has ruled that only
cars which will not be used during
this year may escape registration. Ad.
ditional penalty will be added every
month after April l on those who are
delinquent
Iowans Saved Insurance Crash.
The action of Emory H. English,
state insurance commissioner, in pre-
venting the Royal Life Insurance COM
pany of Chicago from operating in
Iowa probably prevented many Iowa
people from being involved in the
crash when the company went into