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Old Mission, Mich May 26th 1930

My dear Miss Taft:

Today is Hazel's birthday & it has been a big day for her she is 12 years old now. It seems but just yesterday she was a baby and now nearly a young lady.

To begin with we had a real white frost last night but no ice. Jos. is afraid the cherries in the lower corner are hurt some. The trees are fairly good so far if too many don't fall off. Some trees area better than others. He is Spraying again today and had a time with the small engine as usual. He had Lardies man come down Sat. and they found the battery we got last winter was dead so Jos. got 4 small dry cells they are cheaper and answer the purpose. We can't get water from the swamp any more because it is low on water altho' Jos. would rather have the warmer water to put on trees our cistern has been dry for some time we have had so little rain that I have used hard water since last Fall unless I melted snow to use.

Jos. ordered 30 bu. of oats you told him last Fall to get them when needed so he did. Your horses won't need grain after the heavy work is done.

I hope it warms up and rains we need it.

Wed Morning:

Well I will try and finish my letter today so as to mail it.  I started this Monday and the same evening we had another killing frost prospects look bad at present even to alfalfa was nipped some.  We can't tell how badly the cherries are hurt until they fall altho' some peoples orchards are frozen until the cherries are black.  Dud Griffin had a full crop & he has complete loss.  We all got hurt but can't tell how badly for a few days or perhaps a week.  You had a wonderful stand of cherries in fact we all did but it looks pretty blue to all of us today

I looked your orchard over yesterday morning most of the sour cherries have a small brown spot they may not fall will let you know as soon as I can. I dreaded writing this but Miss Taft we are all in the same shoes. The sweet cherries are not so bad they were further advanced. I was looking forward to how many surprises I would have for you and the nice time we might have this Summer. But guess it will be the same as always.

We will hope for the best and try to [feel????] as we do a lot of people find their orchards & lost too. It is for some one higher than us to let us have things they say he knows best. Well Roger is in a hurry to mail this.

Lovingly Essie