Milford chronicle., 1922-04-28
EARLY STRAWBERRIES
KILLED; FRUITS HURT
COLD WEATHER OF LAST WEEK AND
FIRST OF THIS WEEK PLAY HAVOC
WITH SOME CROPS.
LOSS PROBABLY S5OO,OOO
THIS FIGURE IS ESTIMATED BY PROF.
MCCUE FOR ENTIRE STATE--SUSSEX
WILL SUFFER BY BERRY LOSS.

latter part of last week and on
Monday night of this week play
ed havoc with the prospects of
strawberry growers on the Del
mar-via peninsula. Reports from
all sections of the State indicate
that the early Strawberries have
been practically all killed; but
that the later varieties have not
been injured very much. Sus-
sex County will suffer most from the
berry loss. for the large strawberry
fields are located in this county. In
all instances berry growers agree that
their crop has been damaged Sena-
tor Asa Bennett, of FrankfOrd, was
interviewed on Wednesday by a rep
resentative of the Chronicle and told
of the conditions in his section. He
said that about seventy-fve per cent
of the early berries had been killed;
leaving a quarter of a crop. The late
Strawberries, he said, were practical
ly uninjured. He estimated that fully
ninety per cent of a crop of late ber-
ries could be expected. He further
stated that along the bayshore many
farmers report that their berries were
not badly injured. The loss, however,
is severe in his section from all view
points. The early strawberries are
used by the canning firms for barrel
ing. The later berries cost more and
the packers cannot compete with the
Oregon crop in this respect. For
this reason not only the farmers but
the Gamers and other labor will feel
the loss sustained by the berry grow
ers.
Senator o. A. Newton, who is presi-
dent of the State Board of Agriculture
and who owns large berry fields near
Bridgeville is quoted as having said
that his early berry crop is PRACTICAL
ly wiped out by the severe weather.
He also owns peach and apple or
chards. These, according to Senator
Newton, are not severely injured. In
fact all sections report the early ber-
ry crop severely damaged, but with
a good prospect for later berries.
Joseph Gray Davis, of Milford,
former representative in the Della
ware Legislature and owner of farms
in Slaughter Neck, stated on Wednes-
day that he had inspected apple and
peach trees on his farms. He thinks
that there are sufficient live buds on
both the peach and apple trees to as
sure a good crop of both fruits. He /
also found that the Keiffer pears /
which he examined had some live
buds. Earlier reports were to the
effect that all the pears were killed.
From Milton comes the report that
are killed, but that
peaches, apples and cherries are not
seriously injured. In the Chandler or
chards, near Milton, oil burning pots
were lighted each night and the
peaches were not hurt.
F. M. Soper, of Magnolia, who is
often termed the apple King of Del
aware" is optimistic as to the dam
age done in his vicinity. Mr.. Soper
owns about 100000 apple trees and
IS qualified to speak with authority.
He is quoted as having said that on
he higher land absolutely no damage
was done to either apples or peaches,
md that the damage in the lOwlands
was very slight to these crops. A
good crop is still expected in all the
Soper orchards.
At the orchards of Frank Bancroft,
If near Camden, very little damage
'esulted to apples and peaches. Straw
berries were killed, however. Like
Ir. Soper, Bancroft still anticipates a
rood fruit crop.
Charles S. Sackett, a large fruit ;
md berry grower with farms at Lin
,oln stated on Tuesday that an eX-
animation of his orchards showed
hat so far as he could ascertain he
would have a good crop of peaches,
Lpples, and cherries; that while injur-
ID, ample live buds for a good pay
ng crop were still on the trees. His
eport of Strawberries were to the eff
ect that they were badly killed.
Although it is impossible as yet to
i've a very accurate estimate of the
mount of damage done by the recent
rosts and the generally unfavOrable
weather. this spring, it is believed by l
Professor G. A. McCue, head of the
gricultural department of the Uni
ersity of Delaware, that Delaware ;
1ill sustain a loss of at least $500,O00 Y
his year through an impaired yield
f fruit.
Professor McCue's estimate is based {
n the states generally yearly return {
rom fruit of all kinds. In 1919, ST. l
10000 worth of fruit was raised in &
he State. Allowing for the change in {
rices, etc., it is thought that the loss
rom cold weather this year will {
mount anyhow to $50O,OOO. i
Professor McCue said that it was
OF simply the recent frosts that caus- S
d all this damage, but the general /
reather conditions this year, which
ave been unfavOrable to fruit. The .
,eouent rainfalls and the many
hanges from warm to cold, as well
s the continued low temperature of
he past week or so, have all COM {
med. he said, to make it very hard {
ear on fruit. In the first place, he =
aid. pollination has been greatly re-
lrded by the continued cold weather, :
trough the killing of insects, upon :
-hich trees depends almost entirely /
II the transfer of pollen from an
1ers to stigmas.' Most people believe
lat it is the killing of the blossom =
1at causes all the harm, he said, but n
lis is not correct.
It will be at least three weeks be- =,
IRE the results of the cold spell are y
eally known, Professor McCue said. q
he weakening effects which the Y
Gather has on the buds are evidenced y
radually, in cases where the colo
Gather is prolonged as at present. In
ases like last year when there is
ldden and hard freezing, The BIOS
pms turn black Immediately, ana II