The Delta independent., 1908-05-22


carry out the very principal outline in
Mr.. Bottoms talk.
Your representative is of the opinion
that this coal pot, in its crude state. is
not the device that will be adopted, for
the reason that it seems to be rather
frail in its construction. AS this is
such simple matter, and has been
handled by many in the valley, a
lengthy discussion here is not neces-
sary. But the very fact that some of
the growers in the neighborhood of
Paonia have saved their entire crop by
to give it ventilation than a ducks
nest made of rocks, would seem to give
color to the statement made by many
that an orchard may be successfully
taken care of by coal fires.
Using one pot in center of diamond
where trees were set eighteen feet
apart, in fifteen minutes the tempera-
ture was raised two degrees on first
row, four degrees on third and six de-
grees on seventh row from the outside
of the orchard.
He claims that this coal pot will con
sumo about one pound per hour. The
best results he finds in burning nut
coal. The coal fire is started by means
of little kindling underneath the coal
The smudge demonstration in the
park Saturday afternoon, brought out
many devices for smudging orchards.
In addition to the two named above,
was one constructed very much like an
ordinary dish pan, and through which
holes had been made averaging every
four o. five inches. This was for coal
use. and the result obtained from this
device was surprising. 1t was made of
ordinary sheet-iron, and, like the other
device named, seemed to be too deli
cate for the work.
A statement was made by the Grand
Junction News as follows: Forty
eight Bryan coal pots lighted at $50 p.
m were out at Ii p. M In justice to
Mr.. Bryan, 1 want to say that the
quality of coal he used was not what
the citizens of this Valley are used to
burning, in either quality or character.
Then, again, the News seems to have
lost sight of the fact that while the
Bryan pots may not have been burning
at II O'Clock. they were nevertheless
radiating nearly as much heat as the
coal pots which were burning slowly.
On the whole, this demonstration
was conducive of much good, in that
it developd that fact that with either
coal or oil available, it is not necessary
that anyone lose fruit crop anywhere
in this country.
1t is very natural that we follow the
older methods of California in matters
of smudging, but we do not believe it
will be necessary to follow them more
than in adopting the priuciple which
they follow.
Thc fact that they use oil in that
country is not surprising when It is
known that it is procured for &c per
gallon, and is delivered to the consumer
at not to exceed 2tsc gallon.
With the unlimited coal supply in
Delta County at our very doors, it
would seem that the most natural thing
for us to do would be to smudge with a
product that the county can furnish,
and it is only question of a device in
which it can be successfully burned.
There are many working on this sub
iect now, and before long something
will develop which will solve this
problem to the satisfaction of every
body.
Our advice to the fruit grower of
Delta county is this: For them to make
up their minds what they want; get
the simplest and most economical de-
vice and get ready for next year. If
they intend to use oil it will be neces-
sary to get the oil pots here and the
crude oil all ready for business. Then
cisterns must be built in which to store
this crude oil for use. 1t is estimated
that i, will take 1000 cars of crude oil
to smudge the Grand Valley five nights.
Hamilton said that his thermometer
showed three to four degrees higher in
the middle of the orchard than it did at
the edges, and that outside of the
smudging zone the thermometer stood
at twenty-five and in the center it was
at thirty nine.
We guarantee big saving on arsen-
ate of lead f. o. b. Delta. Phone or
write The Hotchkiss Fruit Company at
Hotchkiss, Colorado.
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