Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-03-20
SUMTER ORCHARDS HIT
HARD BY FREEZE. Loss
ABOUT 80 PER CENT.
J. Elrnore Poole Biggest Optirnist
Among Fruit Growers Here,
Says Loss IncOnsiderable
HOOKS SAYS 75PCT. LOSS
Hansford, McMath, And Council
Place Damage Around
Same Figures

Estimates varying from no damage
at all to a loss of rs per cent, were
given today by Americas peach grow
ers, as likely to result from last
nights low temperature, when the
official government thermometer at
Americas touched a minimum OF "a
degrees. This marked a drop of %
degrees, from Ar, the maximum regis
tered during the previous "a hours,
as shown by the records of Joe M.
Bryan, official observer here.
j. Gilmore Poole, who has approx
imately $50 acres in peaches, was
the most optimistic of the Americas
growers, and today stated he did not
think his crop had been seriously
damagedG This is remarkable in
view of the fact that the Poole or
chards produce many of the early
varieties shipped from Americas, yet
reflects the view of one of the most
experienced fruit men in this ter
ritory.
Hansford Estimates so Per Cent.
Lee M. Hansford, who has a large
orchard embracing number of va
rieties, was less optimistic than Mr.
Poole, placing the damage sustained
by his crop at not less than so per
cent, or one-half the fruit likely to
have been marketed, except for last
nights cold He visited bis orchard
few miles south Of Americas this
morning and went into the fields,
where he personally inspected many
of his trees The Hiley Bellies in the
Hansford orchard are the most Sc
verely damaged of any variety, these
being just now in the height%pf the
blooming season, with petals wideI
open and forming ideal receptacles
for either ice or frost. 1t will be
Wednesday or Thursday before an
accurate estimate of the damage sus-
tanned can be made, Mr.. Hansford
said after returning to Americas,
"The greatest loss peach growers Of
Sumter county ever sustained, with
in my recollection" he said, caught
orchards here in almost exactly the
same stage of blooming as did Mon
day nights freeze, and ] am afraid
the damage inflicted will be even
more severe than now appears mi
instances where the blooms are clos
ed tightly so as to exclude the water
the fruit was not hurt by the cold
snap, but, Of course, it is impossible
to say how many were in this condl-
ticn Tomorrow or next day will
r. lssc the extent Of the damage
through the loss of blooms"
Sees Blooms Through Glass
T. B. Hooks, whose orchard is ore
of the finest in Sumter aiuntE, with
several varieties included among its
bearing trees, is among the most pes
simistic growers here. He estimates
the loss of fruit at 75fo upon his 3d.
600 trees, which before the freeze
bore evidence of bearing an abund-
ant crop. 81 visited my orchard this
morning" said Mr.. Hooks today
land examined many blooming trees
with the aid of a glass. There will be
little fruit produced in my orchard
this season, and at least rs per cent
of the blooms on my trees are dead.
There was ice in the cups of too many
blooms these this morning to encour-
age hone for more than quarter Of
a peach crop"
'If Ice Kills, Mine is Gone.
John Council, whose magnificent
orchard on the Dixie Highway north
east of Americas, was uncertain as
to the extent of the damage sustain
ed. ''If ice will kill peach blooms,
said Mr.. Council, Chen my peach
crop is at damaged at least so per
cent. However, it win take day or
two to decide the full extent Of the
damage Even the most experienced
fruit growers are likely to be mistak-
en- in estimates following so closely
upon a freeze as that of last night. |
However, the fruit was in its most
dangerous stage when the mercury
began crawling in its hole Monday
morning. Practically all of my fine
Belle varieties, as well as Elbertas,
are in the cupping stage, which, to
my mind, is an even more dangerous
time than during the full bloom
ing period.
Visited Peach Belt Today.
In the r. L. McMath orchard the
damage was estimated by Heys Nc
Math, who is actively in charge there
at so per cent.
Heys McMath was in Americas to-
day, and stated he had just return
ed from visiting several big orchards
in the peach belt, placing the aver
eye damage sustained at the same as
in the Mc11ath orchard here, or ap-
proximately one-half. The fact that
warm sunshine failed to materials
today probably will prevent additional
loss, McMath said, as had the ice
now upon the blooms melted sudden
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