The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-19
ORANGE GROVE IN A HOUSE.
Unique Devices of Growers to Pre-
vent Frost Damage.


DeLand, Fla, Feb 18.-Since the frosts
of 80 and 'SS Florida orange growers have
begun to realize that if they would make
orange growing an assured success, they
must in some way guard against the I'M
certain visits of Jack Frost. To have a
crop of fruit worth thousands of dollars
completely at the mercy of the tempera-
ture, with the knowledge that fall of
a few degrees during a cold snap may,
in an hour, convert delicious oranges into
solid balls of ice, or even kill his trees to
the ground, making them useless for
several years to come. is a situation
which causes the grove owner many
sleepless nights during the winter months,
But such are the profits in the business
under favorable conditions, that the grow
ers, instead of becoming discouraged by
the recent setbacks. are now casting about
for some cheap and sure means of protect
ing their trees.
Many are the schemes devised and the
experiments being tried this winter, with
the result that the winter visitor finds
many of the old groves robbed of their
picturesque beauty, some of them with
piles of lightwood knots stacked between
the rows of trees, ready to be lighted
whenever the mercury gets dangerously
close TO the freezing point, while many
younger groves are almost hidden from
view with sand; the trees being banked
up" with perhaps a branch or two stick
ing out here and there to remind one that
there is vegetable life below
Stoves in an Orchard.
These, however, are only the more sim
pie means of protection, for, as one drives
through the country, he will see many
more elaborate methods in use. In some
groves are row after row of sheetiron
stoves, all filled with wood ready for the
match. One planter has more than 800
stoves in his orchards. But these, while
they would raise the temperature enough
on a still night might not be effective If
there was a high wind. so the more eau
tious growers are covering their trees up
entirely either with cloth or waterproof
paper, tackled onto wooden frames and
to be warmed within by oil lamps or
heaters. made especially for this purpose.
These groves, with their long rows of
white tents, look more like military camps
than anything horticultural; and on
cold night when the tents are all lighted
up within, and the grove tenders walking
around like silent sentrymep, the resem-
blance would be still more striking.
But probably the most effective device,
and certainly the most costly one, is that
adopted by John B. Stetson, the million
aire halter, who owns about 500 acres IN
groves In the vicinity of DeLand. he
has recently purchased a sawmfn ana
enn,oved a large crew of carpenters and
is proceeding TO build a house over each
one of his orange groves. He has already
inclosed a 15-acre piece in this way, and
where once there was a oeautlful eX-
panse of shapely trees, with glossy leaves
and golden fruit, one is now confronted
with a large, low, fiat shed OF the plalnest
possib3e architecture, and absolutely "lth-
out the least claim to grace OF beauty.
Inside are the trees, deprived OF SUNSHINE
their branches intermingled WIN peaih
and rafters while at intervals on the
Ground are piles of wood in readiness to
furnish heat for this great conservatory.
After the danger of frosts has passed, the
sides and roof of the structure will be re
moved. and the groves allowed TO ENJOY
the omen air again until the next season OF
uncertainty.
Riprest Shed in the World.
Work has already begun on another
shed of this kind, which is to enclose
Grove of forty acres in extent. mss Is
an enormous undertaking. 1t Will require
over 2OO0. 900 feet of lumber In its construc-
tion. and ii will take a large crew OF men
many months to complete it. But, not
withstanding the very great cost of ouild-
ing and maintaining these sheds, added TO
the regular expense of working the
groves. il is thought that they will pay
fair interest on the investment, and should
another freeze come and destroy the I'M
protected groves, it win enhance the value
of the protected groves and oranges very
much
The great majority of the orange grow
ers. however, think that the probabilities
of a freeze are not sufficient to justify the
expense of covering the trees, and are still
taking their chances with the elements.
They figure that as Florida has hereto
fore been free from freezes for a good
many years, that it is likely to be free
from them for a good many years to come.
Time will tell who are right, but this
much is certain, that the unprotected
groves are much more desirable from an
artistic point of view than those covered
over with tents or sheds. Ward Gould.
-s-dp-S--
u,K,o profosSinua1 RuPnInF.