Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-03-22
PEACH CROP LOSS
N SOUTH GEORGIA
NOT OVER g PCT
Fort Valley Blossom FeSti-
val Plans Stand-Big Yield
Seen Despite Freeze-Ex-
tent of Loss Undetermined


estimated damage to the peach croE
around Fort Valley all varieties in
cluded, will not exceed % per cent,
according to an estimate made Wed
nesday by Mr.. Sapp, who, with q
number of growers, made another In
spection of orchards Wednesday
morning. This is not final esti-
mate, he declared, as this estimate
cannot be accurately made before
the latter part of the week.
Mr.. Sapp stated that the e"timat-
ed damage to the Elberta crop,
which composes between 10 and 80
per cent of the peach orchard
acreage in Houston county. IS that 6
per cent of this crop was killed by
the freeze and cold Monday night.
The highest estimate to this crop is
10 per cent.
The average estimated damage to
the Hiley Bellies of the White va
riety was 80 per cent. This crop
WIS III l4ll OlOOhi' ~hl. A1etPF
that the examination showed that
the recent rains had interfered with
the pollination of this crop at least
10 per cent.
He estimated the damage to the
Georgia Bellies at 80 per cent, which
he said was higher than expected.
The Uneedas, which were in full
bloom, show an estimated loss Of %
per cent, Mr.. Sapp said.
He said that the Yellow Hileys
showed an estimated loss of 16 per
cent of the crop. The above figures
represent the maximum estimated
damage, and may be changed some.
what when the final estimate is
made the latter part of the week, it
is said.
Il have been informed that heav'
Ter damage has been done north of
Macon, where the temperatures
were lower" said Mr.. Sapp.
The heaviest damage appears to
be to those trees that are in full
bloom, the Hileys, Uneedas and
Georgia Bellies, but Of the latter the
blooms are showing only abnormal
conditions at this time. do not
believe that the low temperatures of
Monday night will take anything
like so per cent of the crop.
Fires Did Good
''The little pistil in the small
peach is just as normal as it was
found a1ncA nhGarUQ-
ton, in many instances. and the in
Jury from the freeze, if any, will
not show UP until the flower is thor
oughIy dried out. They are just as
green as the day before the freeze.
This condition exists with the
Hileys, the Uneedas and the Georgia
Bellies l haven't found anything on
the Elbertas that is abnormal.
"Smudge fires of Monday night did
good. The orchard men worked
throughout the night to save their
crop. Thermometers hung in the
orchards showed temperatures 3 to
degrees higher than in surround
ing orchards in which there were
no smudges.
There has been a loss Of from 10
20 25 per cent in this territory
southwest of Macon. but it is wide
" scattered. No one grower will
suffer more than his neighbor, from
my observation.
1.-THE cloudy condition Of the at
mosphere during Tuesday morning
and the slowly rising temperature
without much sunshine has saved
the bulk of the peach crop in this
section for the growers. If the sun
had come out abruptly Tuesday
morning, while the buds and blooms
were still encased in ice, it would
have meant ruin to the entire crop.
Fort Valley sent word that plans
for the peach blossom festival, which
opens Thursday, had not been
changed and that every detail OF
the program would be carried out
as announced.
SOUTH GEORGIA FARMERS
ARE REPLANTING COTTON
With reports indicating that the
neach crop in central Georgia was
damaged approximately Is per cent
Monday night by the severe cold
snap, with heavier damage in north
Georgia, information has reached j.
T. Brown, commissioner of agricul
ture, that the freezing temperature
. killed cotton already planted in
south Georgia and that planters
have begun the work of replanting
INV information is that all cot
ton which had come up is dead,
stated Mr.. Brown Wednesday, "but
the farmers already are preparing
to plant again. A large percenta sc
of the cotton crop had been planted
in south Georgia. The tobacco croE
met with better fortune, only trans
planted tobacco plants having beer
killed"
A continued rise in temperature
with showers Thursday in the north
ern and western sections of Geor
gia, was predicted Wednesday b!
Forecaster C. F. Won Hermann
The thermometer registered sc de
grees in Atlanta Wednesday morn
ing, and the forecaser said it wa
due to rise throughout the day. Th'
lowest temperature recorded in For
Valley Tuesday night was 80 de
grees, as contrasted with a % de
gree temperature Monday night.
J. C.. Carlisle, manager OF III
Georgia Fruit exchange, announced
Wednesday afternoon that informa
ton furnished his office from al
Darts of the Georgia peach belt In
Dictated an approximate 40 per cen
damage from the killing tempera
ture of Monday night, with tn
heaviest damage done north of Ma
con.
Estimates furnished The Journa
Tuesday from Fort Valley had indi
Gated a ten or fifteen per cent los
from hasty surveys of the crop, bu
this percentage was increased con
siderably after the growers wer
given the opportunity to CAREFUL
inspect the crop.
Dispatches from various parts o
the state indicated that truck farm
ers had suffered heavy damage i
the killing freeze and that the mel
CONTINUED on Page 8, Column ~