The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-07

that Of "smudging" This was accom-
plshed at first by building large fires Of
damp straw, saturated with petroleum.
at intervals about the ranch. This would
cause cloud of smoke TO settle over the
orchard, thereby preventing the loss of
heat by radiation. This idea had It's
friends, but IL was not satisfactory and
not always effective one grave dsadvan-
tase lay In the fact that the smoke black
enCd the trees and made fruit uumcr-
cnantable. Another scheme, tried with
varying success. was 70 plough burrows
through the orchard and run water
through them. Compared with the atmos-
pherc the water OF the canal is warm and
as Il spreads through the small subsidiary
bitches it absorbs the chllliuess OF the
arr This, however, was not the reason
Tor using the water. Ii was because OF
the fact that when there Is water to
freeze the frost does not touch the
orange as the water attracts cold more
quickly than the orange with its acid. Mr..
Everest SAYS he has seen the ground
frozen hard while the trees and fruit
were unscathed. Again he has seen water
freeze an eighth of an inch thick on an
orange and not spoil u. The disadVan-
tages, however, lie in the fact that the
continual wetung of the ground Injuries
the trees. Besides. there was trouble i'm
obtaining sufficient water As all the
same time, the supply was soon exhaust
ed. Then, too It became expensive when
the cold weather continued for weeks at
a time
Mr.. Evelsst also tried another method Of
"smudgng,' viz, by the use Of crude pc
troleum. This was placed in tanks from
which the oil was piped over the ranch
and allowed to escape into kettles, where
IL was ignited by the use of bouzine.
These pipes are yet to be seen az the ranch
and in very cold weather are still used.
There is also the COpley system, so nam
ed form its inventor. A basket of coal is
placed in each Tree and ignited by the use
Of oil. This idea was very Impractical
Bile
Another scheme was the erection of
stand pipe, some thirty feet high, on the
top of which was placed spray nozzle.
Through this water was forced producing
a miniature shower. The idea here was
the same as in the running of water
through the orchard, viz, that the water
would attract the frost, but after the wa
ter had frozen on a few trees and broken
them down this proposition was aDdiuoheu
with the rest.
All of these propositions finally resolved
themselves into the one idea, that the
warm air must be prevented from leaving
the immediate vicinity OF the trees a.
night During the day the earth ana trees
become warm but as the night cools me
atmosphere the process of radiation sets
in and the heat from the earth ana thS
trees IA carried off, the cold, frosty at
mosphere taking it's place. This warm ar
must not be allowed to escape The fact
was evident that the trees must be cover
ed.
A fog would do THE effectually, but togs
cannot be manufactured TO order. Inc
idea was conceived OF covering the orch-
,ts.l, rolled
IN the morning and let out at night. one
acre was covered in this way, ana 1t was
found 10 be expansive and unstable, as the
canvas would get wet and decay. lhei'
Mr. Everest thought of a covering OF dedtn-
ING. ana 1t was tried was success, ana
to-day Is an accomplished TACT
A visit to this ranch would remove any
doubts one might have regarding inc Lea a.
bitv of the new plan. A dial SET IN the
ceiling of the house at the head OF tnS
stairs indicates the direction of the wind
al any tame Of the night or day. Al an
other place can be seen a system or eiec-
trio bells These ring when inc 'holiiioIii-
eter has fallen TO n dangerous temperature
The men are then called up and process
to firing up is commenced. Ana yet Wtlh
all these precautions pne Aio9' "'''
been too quick.
Now the trees are rooted in with canvas
and laths. Although this shelter has been
used over but fifteen acres, the entlre
ranch will be covered as soon as the work
can be done Last spring, the fruit which
was covered matured perfectly, while That
uncovered was more or less injured.
The operation is perhaps considered an
expensive one, but when the value or
crop Is considered IL Is infinltesimal The
cost is about 800 TO the acre. II has been
demonstrated that tho temperature was
some degrees higher under the cover than
outside. with no fire at all, while with
small fire the temperature can be brought
up degrees higher. With this cover the
rancher is absolutely sure of a crop from
any citrus orchard.