Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-05-11
ANOTHER Freeze
ADDS TO DAMAGE
TO IDAHO fruit
Reports From Points in
Southern Idaho Are of a
Discouraging Nature -
Prunes Suffer Most.

Reports from the fruit belts of
southern Idaho following the heavy
frosts Of Tuesday and Wednesday
nights are discouraging for the damage
to prunes, peaches, apricots, cherries
and grapes Is severe-just how severe
it will take a week to tell. The prunes
were hit the hardest and on the reports
received today there is no reason to
change the statement made yesterday
that the damage will run into hundreds
of thousands of dollars. What makes
the situation more serious is the fact
that the United States weather bureau
predicts another frost for tonight. The
weather was cool during the entire day
with a strong wind blowing from the
northwest.
The undamaged fruit yesterday after
the first freeze was partly killed last
night and this morning. The heaviest
damage was done in the Payette and
Boise valleys. The Weiser valley fruit
was not seriously injured. Reports re-
celved by the state horticultural de-
partment from Glenns Ferry, Gooding,
Twin Falls and Buhl indicate the
damage there was heavy. While some
OF the apple blossoms were nipped
generally speaking the apples have SO
far escaped heavy damage. 1t may
look more serious for them after to-
nights frost.
Heavy Frosts Tonight.
The weather bureaus warning of
heavy frosts tonight may forearm some
of the orchard owners who may there
by be able to save some Of the fruit
so far undamaged. Warmer weather
is predicted for tomorrow, which will
come as a relief.
All records for low May tempera-
ture in the Boise valley and vicinity
were broken last night when the
mercury of the weather bureau ther-
mometer dropped to 25 degrees above
zero, while in other parts of the city
thermometers registered as low as 20
and Fl degrees. On the bench reports
are that the mercury dropped below
20. Damage to fruit Is reported heavy
by horticulturists, who state that the
fruit crop will be less than half the
usual amount.
The heavy frost the night previous
did some damage. but the freeze last
night was much more severe and even
alfalfa, clover and Strawberries were
wilted down this morning and much
early garden truck was injured.
Thought Danger Passed.
May is regarded as the last dan
ger point for fruit injury by frosts
here, but the past two nights have
been unusual and Mr.. Wells, section
director of the weather bureau, In
checking back over his records, finds
that the temperature was lower
last night than is recorded in any
other May month in the history OF the
weather bureau. The official regis
ter. is 25 degrees above zero. EDWARD
Jones. an assistant in the office, who
has government tested thermometers
at his home, noted that the mercury
stood at 21 degrees above zero be-
tween and o'clock. The lowest
temperature was at 8 o'clock this
morning, according to the record of
the weather bureau.
While the fruit growers OF the val
ley have been hit hard by the two
successive freezes and the loss will be
heavily felt here, still 1t will not be as
serious as was oecasioned by a par
tial loss of the fruit crop a few years
ago, when the farmers depended en-
tirely upon fruit. Knowing that there
Is an off year occasionally, they have
made preparations for just such dis
astsr as has occurred, by having more
evenly balanced ranches. That is,
they have more cows, hogs and other
profitable livestock and are in posi-
tion to stand quite loss without suf-
fering much financially, owing to the
provision made by most of the farmers
he "a
fruit crop is hit by frosts.