216 . JP/'idt in Texas. 



How to avoid Risk from Frost. 



11HE frosts which occurred in seme parts of California early in April, and which for 

 - a time threatened serious damage to the grape crop of the current year, have called 

 out investigations that may be of good service to vineyardists in the future. A cor- 

 respondent of the Pacific Rural Press, writing from Anaheim, May 11th, reports the 

 vineyards again in full foliage, and thus notes the effects of the frost : 



" The frost of the 4th and 5th of last month (April) were said to be the most 

 severe ever felt in this part of the State. The thermometer on the morning of the 

 5th, at Anaheim, was down to 28'^ Fahrenheit, which is the lowest point it has 

 reached at any time during the past three winters, and then on not more than five or 

 six occasions. Therefore it is safe to conclude that anything which escaped injury, 

 on this occasion, might be considered safe in the future. 



" Previous frosts have been partial, affecting only certain vineyards and parts of 

 vineyards, and no facts were developed upon which to base a theory ; but this was 

 general, no vineyard escaped, but some were much more seriously affected than 

 others. A close and earnest investigation developed the following facts : 



'' The vineyards protected by thick hedges of trees were the most severely frosted, 

 and per contra those more open to a free circulation of air, were the least severely 

 frosted, those near buildings or planted among the fruit trees (trimmed up so as not 

 to prevent a free circulation of air), entirely escaped. 



" The Anaheim vineyards for greater convenience of cultivation are trained low, 

 rarely raising more than two feet above the ground ; this I am certain is a mistake, 

 for I have long observed, that the closer to the ground, the greater the damage from 

 frost. In proof of this I noticed that vines trained upon trellises, in the open vine- 

 yard, to a height of from four to six feet, entirely escaped, whilst the surrounding 

 vines trained low as usual were all badly frosted ; with the exception of the differ- 

 ence in elevation the conditions were exactly the same ; there were several instances 

 of this, with, in all cases, the same result. 



" The frost was much less severe on the mesa or table lands, which is owing to the 

 elevation ; the low-lying lands are always the worst frosted. 



" My young tomato plants growing in boxes raised three feet from the ground, 

 were scarcely touched and not materially injured, proving a wise foresight in raising 

 them up ; the volunteer plants growing on the ground were killed. 



" The Mission priests were probably aware of this fact, for they, so far as I have 

 seen, invariably trained their vines from three to four feet high. They were very 

 intelligent observers, and rarely did anything without being able to give a good reason 

 for it." 



Fruit in Texas. — Mr. Wm. Watson, of the Rosendale Nurseries, Brenham. 

 Texas, writes us. May 28 : "I thought perhaps you would like to know when our early 

 Peaches ripen. We had the Early Beatrice ripe May 19, and Hale's Early the 

 22d. We have now upon my place, ripe peaches, cherries, raspberries, strawberries 

 and blackberries, and to-day I have gathered some nice Doyenne de Etc pears, ripe 

 and good. We have the finest growing weather I have ever seen here. Common 

 field corn in tassel, and of the early kind we have roasting ears. Grapes are full. 



