Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-25
PROF. N CUE SAYS
FRUIT DAMAGE MAY
AGGREGATE S5OO,OOO
Strawberry Crop Suffers Most,
But Effect Expected Also on
Other Crops.
BRANOYWlNE SEEMS SAFE

Although It is impossible as yet to
give n very accurate estimate of the
amount cf damage done by the recent
frosts and the generally unfsvorable
weather this spring It is believed by
! Professor &. A. McCue. head OF the
agricultural department Of the Uni
versity Of Delaware. that Delaware
Will sustain n loss OF al least $500 600
this year through an impaired yield
OF fruit
! II is believed that straw berries will
bear the greatest loss OF all. for nearly
all that were in bloom were killed
Outright by the first heavy frost of
! the last few days, he saws. The other
fruits will share about equally in the
general loss. for nearly every fruit
tree that was in bloom suffered some
loss. Il is said.
Professor McCue's estimate is based
on the states general yearly return
from fruit o, all kinds In 1919. "a
100000 worth OF fruit was raised in
the state Allowing FOR the change
In prices, etc, Il is thought that the
loss from cold weather this year will
amount anyhow 10 $500. 600
Professor McCpe said today that II
was not simply the recent frosts that
caused all this damage. but the gen
eral weather conditions this year.
which have been unfsvorable TO fruit.
The frequent rainfslls and the many
changes from warm 20 cold. az we'll
as the continued low temperature OF
tho past week or so. have all com
bined. he said. TO make II a very hard
year on fruit. In the first place.
he said. pollination has been greatly
retarded by the continued cold
weather. through the killing OF in
most entirely for the transfer OF pol
len from anthers TO stigmas. Most
people believe that It is the killing
OF the blossom that causes all the
harm. he said. but this is not correct
IL will Toe at least three weeks be-
fore the results Of the cold spell are
really known, Professor McCue said
The weakening effects which the
weather has on the buds are evidenced
gradually, in cases where the cold
weather Is prolonged as at present. In
I a
sudden and hard freezing, the bios
SONS turn black Immediately. and Il
Is not hard 10 ascertain the amount
of harm done. he said. but this has
not happened this year
The fruit crops were not the only
ones 20 sustain loss through the recent
frosts, FOR some vegetable and flowers
We're also killed or blighted
Last nights frost. il WAS said at the
university today. was about half as
heavy as that OF the night before The
temperature was down TO "a degrees
above zero.
Brandy wine Hundred Seems Safe.
lf there s any serious damage to
fruit as a result OF the frost and ice
In Brandywine hundred, IL Is not ap-
parent. according 10 State Highway
Commissioner Newton l.. Grub. who
has an extensive farm al Grubb's
Corner. After a diligent Investigation
this morning OF the fruit trees on
has own farm and those on neighbor-
ing farms. Mr.. Grubb said he could
not see any evidence OF actual dam
age 20 cherries. peaches. apples. plurns
or pears.
"Of course" he explained. at may
be that some damage will manifest IT.
self later. but there is certainly no
evidence OF It now. / picked six cher
~ blossoms and found inside six an
parently healthy. little green cherries
! found the same condition with the
other fruits. Some of the pears. ]
noticed. where the stems were par
ticularly delicate. were more easily
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