The record-union., 1896-04-11

B. F. Walton of Yuba City stated that
the idea of starting fires in orchards had
been exploded, and that the plan sug-
gested by Mr.. Buck appeared TO be the
most practicable one he had yet heard
spoken Of
H. NJ. LaRue, Sr., stated that he had
used smudges in his vineyard at Napa,
and that since that arrangement had
been made, not a vine was killed by
frost. He thought the idea advanced
by Mr.. Buck good one. His vines had
not been frosted even when the ther-
mometer registered 26 degrees.
| II. NJ. LaRue, Jr., corroborated the
statement made by his father. The
smudges had proven an unqualified sue
| cess. He, however, did not start his
fires in the vineyard, but on the north
side, there being no frost when the wind
was from the south. This plan would
always work when the wind was not
variable.
| ]. w. Anderson said he thought
smudging was, TO say the least, worth
the experiment
Edwin F. Smith thought the idea ad-
| vanced by Mr.. Buck was a good one,
and as the cost of the experiment was
| 8,
be tried
| H. M. LaRue, Sr., said that an idea
had been suggested to him that prepa-
ration of straw and manure dampened,
baled and distributed through orchards
and lighted would make the best as well
as the most easily controlled smudge.
He had concluded to test the idea next
season.
| Mr.. DittZler stated that he had con-
structed machine by. which a blower
was placed upon wagon, and kept go
ing by means of a wagon-wheel gear
/ ing. so that by driving his wagon
through an orchard he could easily SUBJ
merge 100 acres in a dense smoke in one
hour. The fuel he used was manure as
wet as it could be made, and he had
found the experiment to be very salts
factory. He said the wagon smudge
would easily do the work Of fifty men.
The properties Of smoke as a frost
| preventive as sprung by Mr.. Walton.
| ton.
| II. M. LaRue, Jr., explained that 1t
! was aimed that the smoke should act
as shield over the earth and thus pre-
vent the rapid radiation of heat He
| felt certain that the reason smudges
had fallen into disuse was because the
smoke was made after the freezing
point had been reached and the damage
had been already done.
Mr.. Buck said that another reason
why smudge had fallen into disuse was
| that they were not kept going late
enough in the morning. His experience
! caused him to believe that the smudge
should be kept going until after the sun
was well up. He did not belive that any
of the fruit-growers thoroughly under
stood the theory of smudges, and had
yet to learn the philosophy of the the
| ory.
The general idea prevailed that
| smudging was at least worthy of an
| experiment.
A FREE FRUIT MARKET.
The proposition of establishing and
maintaining free fruit market in San
Francisco was taken up.
The Harbor Commissioners, President
Lelong said, had proposed to give the
fruit-growers space upon the water
front upon which to erect market
Mr.. Walton hoped the fruit-growers
would take hold of the proposition at
| once and not lose the opportunity of
d
| assured that a market would be a very
| profitable investment to the growers in
| the State.
| 1t was found, however, that no grow
ers in the vicinity of Sacramento were
extensive shippers to San Francisco.
| they being unable to compete with
those orchards near the bay on account
Of freight rates, which they would be
obliged to overcome in order to success
fully compete with their brethren whose
orchards lay nearer to San Francisco.
r. D. Stephens stated that an organ
ization ought to be effected by the fruit
growers Independent of the commission
men, for the construction of the market
in question. He was not at all satisfied
with the actions, in the past, Of the
! commission men.
| H. NJ. LaRue, Sr., thought q free
market would do away to great extent
with the middleman, who pockets most
Of the profits on sales.
1t was agreed that the danger to the
success Of the undertaking lay in the
opposition of the commission merchants
| to the proposed market. They would,
| it was expected, take a stand against
the fruit-growers, and it was admitted
/ lndt the COI1lIllSSIOU uleI ndu eH6CI6Q d
| strong organization.
| Mr. Lelong said while the proposed
market was called free, it would not
| be SO in its entirety. A manager would
| be appointed from among the fruit
| growers by the Harbor Commissioners,
and his salary and that OF his assist
| ants would have to be paid. Conse-
| quently the rate of toll would probably
| be increased from five cents, which it
now is, to seven and one-half cents on
the ton or any package of less weight,
| which, he believed, would cover all
| expenses. He thought an arrange
ment might be made by which both
| fruit-grower and commission man
| might be interested.
| L. G. Rodman of Routier's Station
| declaimed against doing anything to
| favor the commission man. If the fruit
growers were to declare war on the
commission merchants they should go
| in to win. They should fight for all
| there was in them, and not get half
way in and then stop Unless the
| fruit-growers meant business they had
| better let things stand as they now are.
The establishment of a free market
would, 1t was explained, make the COM
mission merchant buyer direct from
the grower at the wharf. No great in
terest was shown in the subject.
:N PURE