Smyrna times., 1918-06-19
AVER $4,000 DAMAGE TO
IENT'S GRAPE VINEYARDS
,.,res IN WAKE OF RECENT
'.n , STORM CHECKING LOSSES
,..... TO Grapes. Peaches, Apples
I0''sI Grain Approximate 100000.
c,orm Had a Narrow Area

and Olai" '.FF
c,orr Had a Narrow Area
Esnt county farmers whose farms
,sre in the path of the destructive
' ia and hail storm that passed over
~. M section last Wednesday afternoon
..,s about finished checking up on
.s.i, losses. and the estimated dam
40 caused by the storm is almost
s.rcering in amount. There is no
,rr5t now but that the losses will
. ...ilv reach the 5000, 900 mark, and
iii urObsbly exceed that figure. AL
,.0uoh calamity as it is, it is really
,,,nnate that the storm did not cover
larger area, for had it extended over
.s entire county, or swept through
,bs State, Delaware would have been
h,nkrupted from an agricultural stand
mint 1t is believed that the loss
n grspe growers alone will amount to
$4,000, as the storm passed through
the very heart of the grape growing
,sction, and in addition to stripping
the yOnng grapes from the vines, the
hrge hail stones, driven with great
brce by the high wind, almost ruined
the vines themselves. Probably the
gower to be hurt the worst about
Smyrna was Walter 7. Massey on his
farm near Duck Creek. Mr.. Mas
ssy's early apples and grape vineyard
we're badly hit by hail but his apple
crop alone damaged so per cent. A
number of other farmers over in New
Castle County in the wake of the
storm were also more or less dam
sgsd
Ssysrest Damage Was in Kent County
The seVerest damage WAS in Kent
county Around Smyrna the damage
vas bad enough but not so bad as in
the lower part of the county. The
big grape vineyards of the Carriers
west Of Smyrna, fortunately escaped.
Mrs, J. E. Carter's farm and vine
yard was outside the hail and storm
center, but the farm and vinyard of
George Carter was more in the wake
Of the storm and the hail did more or
less damage. His fine grape vineyard
hoEeVer, was Out slightly damaged.
lne storm passed over an area about
70 to 25 miles in length and from
one to two miles in width. 1t ex-
pended Its greatest force in the vicin-
lty OF Dover, which town lay direct
ID Its path. The wind swept with
greatest force in the very heart Of
ne storm, and its path can easily be
Hsced through Dover where consider
'Ole damage to property was done as
''eOunIed IN fuller detail on our Sec
'nd page. The farmers, however,
zane In for the biggest share of loss.
VaI 10 the open country the wind and
u'll nso clean sweep, and practi-
.'ly all crops in its path were beaten
a'O 'ne ground. Several farmers of
-0uefs'e means who had every rea-
"a 70 anticipate a rich harvest this
l'a' which in more than one instance
s0oId have lifted mortgages and
r'csu the owners clear of debt. have
,s'a their hopes dashed away and are
iaeiDg ruin.
many Wheat Crops Almost Total Loss
Every wheat field in the path of
as storm is almost complete loss.
= HiOfe than third of a crop can
Y saved in any instance. The wheat
'sslAs sa were broken by the hail and
.a''steo into the ground, and as the
.. .'a' nsu reached full growth, in
s instances ripening, it did not
'' strength to revive and raise
s'- - Tue ground, thus making cut
s " machine impossible, and cut
~. ss " hand will be so expensive
ss s' "aeat thus saved will hardly pay
M. ~ 'os.' ~" One of the most unfortu-
a., ' 'ulngs about the storm is the
v.'. 'ua' hundreds of acres of wheat
ID.,. ',nOst dAstroyd at a time when
n I..s ~. Sam stands so greatly in need
b,,,.g ,.,s grain. Young corn was also
~ ,sc s down and the leaves shred.
,,v.S '1e nail, but this crop will be
sbls tomato growers will also be
pIsn.- save crop, as the tomato
S;,s l~ destroyed can be renlanted
rs.,,' Is" plants. Fruit has suffered
by H. ", young peaches being ruined
Ds,sS S' naii. In some instances every
tees 'ss oeen knocked from the
have apples, pears and cherries
ans ., aO suffered, tho not to the
vhIIs A'ent !. as peaches. In fact.
H. " '.i Il only lasted a few minutes
ID H. urn left path of devastation
spsn.s wake that has never heep
hhsb;,uoln N the memory of the Oldest
'n's Of the Dover community.
0'OO From Red Cross Supper
u. ;ue Red Cross sumner o;ven hr a.,