The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-02-27
NOT so BAD AS FEARED

the real extent of the damage done
by the succession of cold waves that
visited Florida Feb. ? TO 6. it ap
pears that the injury done To the
citrus trees was not so great as many
feared it would prove to be. All of
the big freezes that have afflicted
Florida have differed in character
from each other. Each has its les
sons. Thus the sum of knowledge
of the means of guarding from dis
aster grows until in time the nerv-
BUSINESS that disturbs the grower at
the advent of a cold wave will have
become much less.
The value OF water protection and
cf sufficient relative elevation of a
grove to insure atmospheric drain
age are emphasized by the varying
reports from groves in the same
county So is the advantage OF the
mf ans by which the growers have
learned to retard undue development
during what should be the dormant
period of the tree, when unseascn
ably warm weather tends to cause
the sap to rise. The gales which ac-
companied the cold waves this year
prevented the more general use of
smudges or more of the ungathered
fruit might have been saved.
On the other hand, the weather
has been propitious since the damage
was done in that the daily rise Of
temperature has been gradual and
thus many of the trees less badly af-
fected have been saved from the in
jurious effect of a too sudden in
crease of heat. While some of the
damage may not be fully apparent
until midsummer. it is believed now
to be mostly confined TO the young,
nGnbearing trees.
one element in the situation is
that such horticultural experts as
The faculty of the experiment station
and Plant Commissioner Newell are
we'll fortified with knowledge of the
rltans of minimizing the damage
done to the trees and are able tC
leiye advice which if followed, will
doubtless save many a valuable tree
Another is that the warm weather
preceding the cold probably hasteneC
the development of many of the pest,
that afflict the citrus crops and tn,
lsadden fall Gf temperature killed
many of them, leaving that mucl
less to fight against the coming year
Yet the warning has been issued I,
those managing groves that tire
Whose vitality has been lowered from
any cause is particularly liable t
Isutfer injury from the attacks of fun
gold or insect foes.
Partially frosted fruit is amos
certain to spoil and cause the deca,
of sounder fruit it may be packe'
with, and whole frozen orange o
, grapefruit has neither juice nor flaw
or The shipping of such fruit ma.
do Florida's interests as much harm
as that of immature fruit
AS for the citrus crops of the mex
season there is an optimistic feelin'
derived from the experiences of tn
past that we may have a bumpe
crop for the season of 1917-1S, il
srite of the regent freeze. As yer.
large proportion of the fruit Of thi
sea son had been marketed before tn
freeze and a good percentage of tina
still on the trees may, it is believed
lp:cve TO be unscathed, the averag
Of the two seasons may be one tina
will be fairly remunerative.
While the vegetable crop of Flor
ida seems to be mostly wrecked, eX
cept in few more fortunate local.
tiles and in the extreme south. We
there is plenty Of time for replant
ing with little danger that ther
will not he a good market for pro
duce when our crops are ready 70
it Profits. in that case, are merel,
delayed a few months. Iaeksonvil
! .Times-Unicn.
lture Jackson should take her prope
lplace among the cities of Michigan