The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-04-01
HORTICULTURE

a smudge in an orchard keeps tneI
frost from killing the fruit. BY many
it is supposed to be the heat in the
smudge that protects the fruit. Ii a
cloud should hang over the orchard 1t
would have the same effect During
the day time the earth absorbs heat
from the sun and this is done to some
extent even when it is cloudy. AS
soon as the sun goes down this alb
sorbed heat begins to radiate from
the earth and this goes on during
the entire night. Now, heat will radi-
ate much faster on a clear night than
when it is cloudy. The clouds hang
ing over the earth check this rajia-
ton. If we could stretch canvass
over the orchard it would have thel
same effect. In some of the orange
orchards in California frost has been
pevented by putting lath netting
over the trees and this was effectual
when the lath were an inch apart In
this net work Now, if we can make
a smudge and get it to hang over the
orchard it has the same ef1ect--lt pre-
vents the escape of heat rather than
to create it.
In a dry country like the Yakima
or Wenatchee valleys the smudge does
not seem to do much good for the
reason that it will not remain over
the orchard. Dry heat does moe gooC
in such cases, hence the burning OF
sage brush or any kind of brush, old
rails or anything that will make a
quick heat, is recommended. The ben
eft seems in such a procedure to be
two-fold in it's nature; some heat is
produced and this passing up among
the trees prevents frost. But 1T is
probable that the greater good is Sc
cured by causing the air to move free
ly among the trees. 1t is we'll known
that frost does it's most deadly work
"some still cold night" Burning great
piles of brush outside of the orchard
will help materially for the same rea-
son, as a current of air is started by
these fires. 1t is a good plan, there
fore, to pile the brush secured by
pruning the orchard somewhere near
and let it dry out thoroughly, and
then, when frost is imminent, fire 1t.
If an orchard is planted where there is
likely to be a current of air at night
that will be the safest place from
damage by frost. For this reason ele-
waited points are in less danger from
frost than low grounds or level plains.
Some people plant rows of willows or
other kinds of trees around their or
chards, thinking in that way to pro-
tect them from frost. They reilly pro-
tect the frost in this quiet place and
help it to do it's deadly work. l would
never plant a wind break around an
orchard as a frost protection. If the
winds are so severe as to damage the
trees or to blow off the fruit this wind
break may become necessary and in
such a windy country frosts may not
be apt to be a serious menace.
Aside from the breezes we may have
on elevated points there is another ad-
vantage We secure frost drainage
and that is more important than many
people suppose. Frost, or, what
amounts to the same thing, cold air,
slips off into the lower ground some
what as water runs off after a rain
Hence, level plains are never as good,
all other points being considered, for
orchard situations as an uneven coun-
try. Some things may modify this to
a greater or less extent. For instance,
a level country may be near gap
hot mountains whore