The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-02-23

danger flags conveying this information
are carried on the locomotives of all
trains running through the state, while
night or day the blasts of the locomotive
whistle, on a scheme previously devised
and advertised-so many blasts with
such and such intervals-give ample no.
| tice through the thinly settled sections
that cold wave is advancing, and that
the wise will provide for it's arrival.
| The orange section of the state is now
mostly in the interior. or south middle
Florida, say, beginning at Ocala (about
ore hundred miles south of here), Bar
| tow, the Manatee river sections, etc.
| There are many groves at more north
! ern points, and on the east coast, from
Titusville down, the orange growing in
terest is increasing. The early vegeta-
BILE section is confined in a great meas
| ure to the east coast section and the
Manatee river, the latter being south Of
Tampa on the west coast. From these
points great shipments Of beans, let
tuce cucumbers tomatoes, cabbage cell
cry, etc, go north every spring and
bring in thousands of dollars to the set
tiers, it being their great money crop.
Strawberry culture is confined more to
the western portion-Lawtey, in Ala
chua county, being the center, though
other sections are making bids for this
itooths1me delicacy. Pineapple culture
will be a great one in this state ere long,
as more acreage is being set out each
year The east coast is the great center
of this industry, though in and about
Orlando, south Florida, much capital
has been expended in this line They
have to be protected more in that sec
ton than in the east coast, but growers
say that their products are larger and
sweeter Be that as it may, neither
section has any reason to complain of
the luscious fruit that is shipped each
season.
AS soon as the warning whistles are
heard or the Geographic messages from
the signal office received, the fruit
growers set about protecting their trees
or plants, it depending upon the section
as to the amount of care needed or de-
manded. The methods Of protecting
groves is about the same in all sections.
In the generality Of orange groves the
trees are planted twenty-five by TWEEN
ty-five feet or thirty by thirty giving
ample space between the rows and the
individual! trees.
The owner has perhaps before this
hauled up immense quantities of logs
and brush, and piled them in regular
heaps between the trees. They are piled
at distances of one hundred feet or
thereabouts, depending upon the size Of
the trees, the nature of the ground,
whether wet or dry, high or low, and
,oo4nr ,1o,
prefer limbs of trees, brush ETC., while
others say that pine trees, somewhat
green, make the best smudges, or most
smoke. Many sprinkle crude petroleum
over the wood to make it burn easier,
and prefer having it as green as it can
be used, as it's smoke is then thicker and
denser, affording a better protection.
Thus armed, the owner awaits the alarm
that he knows will come before the sea-
son ends.
1t comes. Then. according as the
night is clear and dry, cold and still. or
cloudy, are the number of piles ignited.
If cold and clear, without clouds, more
of the piles are set afire than If the night
is overcast and a south wind is blow
ing. The fires are kept partially smoth-
cred, as the smoke more than the blaze
is desired for the protection wanted.
AS the fires CLEAN out through the
grove amid the trees, throwing gro
tesque and wild shadows in the air, it
makes a peculiarly fascinating sight.
The smoke rolls up in clouds, being diff
fused overhead and floating over the
trees, affording blanket, or canopy, as
it were, that the cold cannot break
through. The figures of the men are
seen in the dim light working around |
the fires, pushing down the flames if too |
bright. or poking up other piles that do
not send off enough smoke. This is
continued all night, and maybe for day
Or two. it depending upon the duration
IF the cold wave.
AS a general thing, this protection is
the best that can be had, and it well re-
paws the extra expense entailed. as the
salvation of the grove means a good |
profit on the yield. Many groves are so
located on the banks of wide. shallow
axes that the evaporation of the warm