Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-09-12
A North Dakota Official Makes In.
portant Experiments With
Successful Results.
He Believes Smoke an Effective Agent
TO Use Against Jack
Frost.
Information Of Great Living Interest
to Farmers throughout the
Entire Country.

armers throughout the entire country
must oe profoundly interested in any in
formation relative to methods by which
destruction from frost may be averted
Not only must the grower of wheat and
corn be thus interested, but alse the to-
bacco raiser, the vegetable cultivator. the
cranberry producer and the fruit farmer
The report of w w. Bartlett. state SUI
perinteudent of irrigation and forestry in
North Dakota, made the present month
contains many useful facts from the expert
ences Of that official with smudges on his
farm In ramsay county, near the Mani
toba border. He SAYS:
How to protectyegetation from injurious
effects OF frost Is a subject of the greatest
Importance ror it involves the prosperity
and happiness Of millions of people. II.
A. Hazen, professor of meteorology, stated
IN his able article of March %, 1890: 1t
has been estimated that in single year
nearly S2000,000,000 were lost to this
country from frost destruction
"On the nights of Saturday, August %.
and Wednesday Agust 26, | was at my
farm, near Church's Ferry, Ramsey
county, and watched the approah and ope-
ratlon Of the frost, and assisted in burn
ing the smudge to ward of the danger.
The experience was very instructive Civ.
ing a good opportunity to study both
sides of the question.
Both nights were clear and the sky
free from clouds On the 23l, or proper
~ speaking on the morning of the 23d, al
5:25 o clock, the temperature reached its
minimum, 20 degrees. We started the
smudge fires at 4.3S a. N ION the 231),
thermometer, 80 degrees a slight breeze
from the south; much moisture prevailed.
To all appearance the temperature was
much increased by the smoke. The in
tensity of the frost crystals on the smoked
wheat was seemingly much decreased.
They melted very quickly in the hand.
while the unsmoked wheat retained its
cold unchanged. Soon after an immense
amount Of smoke covered the grain origin
ating from our and our neighbors smud-
ges.
Il had similar experience on the night
of Aug 26, but the slight breeze this time
was from the west, and but little moisture
seemed TO prevail. The frost was very Sc
we're. The thermometer indicated the
lowest point, q degrees, at 4:30 Il. m.
(morning OF ~. We commenced to gen
crate the smoke at this hour, and vast
deep clouos spread over the grain. Dur
ing these two nights some of the wheat
was in the milk and some In the dough
The oats were also smoked being in the
milk On the ODD, from ! :lUa m. until
sunrise the temperature was at and below
the freezing point. Onthe 26th from 2:l2
a. m. until sunrise, the temperature was
ditto. Under all the circumstances, my
tenant and myself were surprised to find
that to ali appearances the wheat and oats
were uninjured. Thus we had presump-
tive evidence that the smoke had a favora-
bic effect in protection of the grain from
the freezing frost
The reason for commencing the smudges
at a late hour was this Because Of other
work, my tenant could not
make the number and size and kind Of
smudge piles that desired. Though many,
and equal IN all respects to other persons,
they lasted but a short time, usually less
than one hour, and it was thought best to
burn them at the coolest hoIr. But suffi
cient material having been provided, |
would have kept the fires burning all night.
Diversity Of Opinion.
MANY farmers calm the smoke has
and will prevent frost. One practical and
obgervant neighbor said TO me: / know
smoke will prevent frOst ! saw it on the
top Of a canary, the roof being white as
snow and in a few minutes after starting
the smudge smoke it was ali Melted and
the thermometer rose four degrees, and
when the smoke reached Penn, nearly
three miles away, the temperature was in
creased The same amount -four degrees)
Another man told me of the increase Of
of 3 degrees on account OF the
use Of smoke. On the other hand other
men contend that smoke cannot prevent
frost According to the present irforma-
ton, it appears the injury to the ram by
frost in our state reaches 10 but q small
per cent. owing doubtless TO the employ
ment of a large amount Of protecting
smoke.
But the question Of the prevention Of
frost los Jhe use OF smoke has not been
settled in the public mind The careful
experiments of the most painstaking and
practical men should be presented to the
uuOlc for consideration.
Things Necessary TO Arrive at Facts
IN OIAtT 10 Etl al "a JlbdI uuuci Hldllu-
Iny Of this important matter, a number Of
things are necessary. | will name sUme:
The investigator should be a thoughtful
and oDservant mani must have all instru-
neats and facilities for making needed
and experimental tests;
should make careful records Of each step
in the investigation; should owr and use
a good thermometer, a psyChrometar and
a reliable barometer; should have
Of tie weather for one or more
LAYS before the frost; should know
the condition Of the grain-whether in
.he milk or in the dough; the altitude Of
The grain fields; direction and force OF the
wind or breeze, the magnetic OF electrical
the amount of clouds in the
ky, the currents Of the upper air; whether
he conditions arr there favorable for form
ing smoke clouds over the grain; the kind
and size Of the smudgp piles that may be
needed; where they should be located in
order 20 insure the necessary amount and
proper distribution Of the smoke, when and
where to commence the fires and
l0w Icing 20 continue the same, and the
amount ot smoke necessary to insure the
protection Of the grain from the injurious
fleets Of the frost And be should eZer-
Indictment and discretion In an the