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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I flew to Texas on Thursday to visit my mother and
sister so I missed the storm. Here in Upton there was heavy rain but no ice. I
got home last night and as I was concerned about our orchards I took a tour this
morning. There was no tree damage near the Grafton orchard so I did not drive by
it. As I drove north on Rt. 140 I started to see tree damage as I passed by Rt.
9 and it increased to the center of Shrewsbury where it was severe. As I drove
north on Rt. 140 the damage varied from almost none to severe. I stopped at
Tower Hill where the damage was heavy along the driveway and in the woods south
of our orchard. What I could see of the ornamental plantings they had light
damage. I did not see even one twig broken in the chestnut orchard and also did
not see any damage in the apple orchard.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I then went north to the Mass. Fish and Wildlife
orchard. Again there was tree damage.in the adjacent trees but no damage to the
chestnuts. I then drove to the Sterling orchard and saw more severe damage on
the way and to the large trees around the orchard. Again no damage to the
chestnuts. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I then drove along Rt.62 and Rt.31 through
Sterling, Princeton and Holden to Paxton. When I was working for what is now
National Grid I was involved in restoration of electric service after a number
of bad ice storms. The damage in Princeton and Holden is the most severe that I
have ever seen. I stopped at the Paxton orchard and as Lois reported there was
no damage to the chestnuts. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We lucked out on these orchards. Sorry we didn't on
Brians but with pruning and time that one should do well also.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Rufin</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>