The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1899-03-08
Artificial Fog.

from cold snaps is the secret of Cap
tain James E. fuckers invention.
Captain Tucker is a FlOridian, an or
ange grower also, and is now connect
ed with the United States Department
Of Labor as special agent. He has al
ready filed a caviat for the patent of
his idea, having made experiments and
demonstrations that convince him of
the success of his plan.
1t is a we'll known rule of physics
that the contact of cold air with
warm body of water produces fog; and
another rule, not generally known, is
that one pint of vapOr water will lib
crate enough heat to raise five points
Of water from the freezing point to
the boiling stage, or 212 degrees. Com
bine heat and water and the energy is
secured for the moving of the worlds
commerce. Upon these scientific rules
is based Captain fuckers invention.
''The Subterranean streams of Flor
ida," said Captain Tucker in an inter-
view yesterday, contain an ineXhaus,
tiDle supply of warm Water-that is,
water ranging in temperature from rs
to IS degrees. When the water bear
ing rock is tapped by artesian wells
in the loWlands Of the coast a splen-
did flow results, as may be observed at
the water works here in Jacksonville.
In the interior the same streams may
be tapped, but because Of the eleva>
ton of the land the water must
be pumped to the surface. It
is but necessary to take the wa
ter from our natural subter-
ranean reservoirs and convert it
into fog if possible. II not fog, then
the nearest to fog. 1t is hardly prac>
ticable to make fog in the first stage,
but if the water be thrown into the
air in small particles in fact
natures cold aid VIII do the rest,
and fog will envelope the grove or gar
den as the case may be.
''F'irst, it is necessary to bore an ar
teSian well for the water supply,
which shall be connected with pipes
under the ground ramifying the whole
grove, with stands at regular spaces
filled with rose sprayers. All else need
ed is small pumping plant and the
problem is solved.
Il have made careful estimates upon
the cost, and have ascertained that a
plant sufficient to supply ten acres will
cost from $4,000 to $4,000.
From practical demonstra tons with
crude machinery | have found that it
is possible with water at 80 degrees to
raise the temperature of the atmos>
phere within a grove to the extent of
20 per cent. Of the difference between
the temperature of the water and that
Of the atmosphere The following ia
bic will show more clearly what can
be done:
Water. Air Raised To
so degrees 10 degrees 25 degrees
80 degrees IS degrees 81 degrees
so degrees "A degrees 35 degrees
so degrees % degrees SO degrees
''All practical farmers and orange
growers will seek for a location south
and east of body of water, knowing
that, as our cold waves come from the
Northwest, the cold air will be greatly
tempered by passing over the warmer
body of water. In the last cola wave
it is a we'll known fact that the mer-
Johns river was from 31a to 4 degrees
higher than the record on the opposite
banks.
''In fernando county, in a part of
my grove, | made a demonstration
with water at 70 degrees and the air
at so degrees. With a hose force
pump and sprayer [ raised the tenn
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