North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Donna &/or Kieran" <holycow@cookeville.com>]

Mark,  We had weather like that in Dec of 1983.  It damaged the peaches, but 
didn't kill them.  The flower buds are most easily killed.  While it means 
no crop the following year, it doesn't mean no crop ever.  If you are 
curious, wait till you have some above freezing weather and clip off a small 
twig.  Look for a black ring under the bark.  The black ring from the Jan 
1985 freeze remained in peach wood for the life of the trees.  I read a book 
about a couple who planted an apple orchard in Tennessee back in the early 
60's I think.  The wife said it was so cold one winter that the apple trees 
got black rings in their wood.  She said it was so cold that she thought if 
one of the family ever had to have a limb amputated, the drs would find a 
black ring in their bone.     Donna