Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-24
MILLIONS DAMAGE
BY HEAVY FR0STS
Peach Crop Of Nearby States
Total Loss-AppIes
Badly DAMAGED.

Peach and apple crops in the fruit
belts OF Maryland. Virginia and West
Virginia. have been seriously damag-
ed and in some cases completely
| wiped out. as a result of the heavy
frosts Of the last four nights. ac-
cording to reports reaching WASH
ington today from these sections.
A frost predicted for tonight, the
fruit growers claim. will make their
crops a total loss.
The entire peach crop and about
40 per cent of the apple crop in the
| region extending from Martinsburg
to Romey. West Virginia. already
has been lost. reports show. Or
chard men in this section, which un-
der normal conditions yields 2.00o.-
600 barrels year. have lost $4,000
900. it was said by A. v. Park. OF
Orchard Company. and Gilbert P. MIL
Ter, OF Romey. w. Va.
Apple Crop suffers Heavily.
Fifty per cent of the apple crop
in Frederick county. Va. which pro-
duces one-fourth of the apple crop
of the state. has been destroyed. ac-
cording to reports from Winchester,
and the growers predicted that to-
nights forecasted frost will wipe out
the entire crop. In this section about
so per cent OF the crop of York Im-
perials. has been saved. but the old
time Winesap. Grimes Golden and
yield in this section in 1920 was $780,
coo barrels and last year 1t was cut
down to 10000 by the early April
frost.
The crops in the Cumberland. Nd,
district are a total loss. the reports
stated. The temperature in some
points in this section. it was said.
reached as low as 25 degrees last
night.
Fruit growers in the Maryland.
Virginia and West Virginia districts
pointed out that last year they
equipped their orchards with extern
sive equipment, costing thousands OF
dollars, and the freeze Of the last
several nights and the disastrous
frost Of last year has virtually bank
rupted them.
Vegetable Gardens Hit.
Berry bushes and early vegetable
gardens over a wide area of these
sections also have been damaged ex-
tensively. reports to the fruit and
vegetable division of crop estimates
of the Department of Agriculture
show Leon NJ. Estabrook. chief of
the bureau of markets, expressed
deep concern over the probable ex-
tent of the damage to this perishable
food supply. He said. however, that
the reports thus far received are
fragmentary and are net specific
enough to warrant any v'ecise estf-
mate as to the extent Of Ghe damage.
He also pointed out that it will be i'm
possible for the farmers themselves
to know for several years the extent
of their loss. :
Mr.. Estabrook indicated that he is
a little more optimistic about the dam
age to the fruit crop than the orchard
men are themselves. He emphasized
that any estimate Of the damage at this
time would be premature and probably
exaggerated.
Heavy Snowstorm.
Mr.. Estabrook had personal expert
ence 70 guide him in knowing how
severely the weather hit the truck
farmers. He has just returned from
his place near Braddock Heights, west
of Frederick. He says that one of the
heaviest snowstorms he ever saw came
last Friday. starting about 1880 pm.
and continuing until about 4:30. That
night there was half inch Of ice.
Fruit trees were caught in full bloom,
apple, pear, plum and peaches also
current and goosberry bushes.
Mr.. Estabrook. saw evidences .of
severe' damage and some fruit trees
on the lower ground all Drowned up
that showed they were hit badly He
explains however. that the atmos-
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