The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1917-02-09

ly correct IN so lar as the district is
concerned, it is nevertheless an unfor.
tunate fact that several growers were
caught with from three quarters to a
half of their entire crop on the trees,
and will suffer much greater loss
than the average. 1t takes the grow
err with his trees bare and the money
for his crop in his inside pocket, to
the man with all his fruit exposed to
make the average.
R. c. Middleton is probably the
heaviest loser; he lost all his fruit,
some 5000 boxes. Mr.. Middleton is
the representative of Schrader & Co.
here, and he has been so busy buying
and shipping other peoples fruit that
he neglected to ship any of his own.
John Mccormick has probably lost
from 1000 to 5000 boxes; but he had
also shipped nearly that many for
which he obtained highest market
prices. He is out approximately
$4,000, which would have represented
"velvet."
E. H. Williams had shipped all his
tangerines and nearly all his grape
fruit, but none of his oranges; he had
nearly 1000 boxes of the latter on the
trees; if they were nipped (and they
probably were) his loss was heavy.
r. c. Williams had shipped nearly
all his fruit and has the money.
w. F. Glynn & Co. had, shipped
about $500 boxes, and they estimate
that they had about that number of
boxes on the trees.
c. P. Hale had about 1000 boxes
(estimated) on the trees, which are a
loss; he had already received over
$1,000 in money from fruit shipped
and has some yet to hear from. He
is one man who is smiling in the face
of disaster.
B. F. Tillinghast estimates that he
had about 1900 boxes on the trees
Saturday night. He had of course
shipped the major portion of his crop
and has received good prices. "That
1,500 boxes on the trees represents the
velvet" said he.
B. H. Weeks and Mrs. Weeks and
her father, Capt. Brown, who own eX-
tensive grove properties near Ham
mond, had shipped all their fruit.
7. c. Darby was a heavy loser; he
had shipped in all but 400 boxes, and
had approximately $500 boxes on the
trees.
1t was impossible to learn how badly
]. Blaine SILVER was hurt, but it is
understood that he had shipped the
major portion of his extensive crop.
The great body of small growers
had shipped, or sold their crops on
the trees and had their money. The
Bank of Crescent City has more mon
ey on deposit today than ever before
in its history, and this money repre-
sents the deposits of growers. The
town in general has not been hard hit.
1t has only been the here and there
individual as mentioned above. They
are the recipients of sympathy. Some
of them can get along even without
sympathy, but they are evidently feel
ing better knowing that it is theirs.
The general opinion among grow
ers is that the trees have not been
materially injured. What injury they
have sustained is expected to develop
by the latter part of the present
week. 1t is generally conceded that
as a result of the cold the crop for
the coming year will be cut short,
though certain growers of experience
maintain that there will yet be a
heavy bloom.
The opinion also is general that the
Crescent City citrus district has re-
ceived less injury than any citrus
growing section in Florida.
The Crescent City crop this year
has been conservatively estimated at
100000 boxes, of which less than co.
900 boxes remained on the trees. This
estimate places Crescent City in the
lead over all other districts in Florida
as a producer of citrus fruit, posi-
ton it has steadily maintained for the
past ten years.
That the trees in this district wers
better prepared for the shock than in
any other part of the state, is also
generally understood. This freeze
was co-extensive with the State. The
mercury at Miami went to %; all ove~
south Florida it ranged from q to 27.
And the trees there were not prepared
for the shock. fact that will undoubt-
edlv show that the tree injury in south
Florida was general and serious.
The women of Crescent Citv have
been great sufferers in the loss of
sub-tropical plants and flowers used
in identifying home grounds. Their
contributions to the beauty of the
place have been Communicated by the
Frost King and the town will show
bare until the efforts of these good
women con show another crop.
Vegetable gardens were moved
down, but are being replanted; with
the opening of spring we will all be
eating homegrown vegetables again
The Best Recommendation.