The daily sentinel., 1908-05-01

er, it is our opinion that the dam |
age done to the peaches in the Cliff |
ton, Grand Junction and Fruita dis
tricts amounts to a loss of about |
IS per cent of the crop and the dam
age to the apples will equal about
so per cent of the crop. We cannot
give an estimate at present as to
the damage done the pear crop, but
there is some damage.
The above report is made after a
very careful canvass of the different
localities, and in our opinion is as
conservative and accurate as can be
made at this time. Should later de-
velopments show that this report is
out of line on any varieties of fruit,
we will advise you.
Very truly yours,
THE GRAND JUNCTION FRUIT
GROWERS ASSOCIATION,
John f. Moore, Manager.
Land More Valuable.
81 wish to say right here that l
must admit that it has long been a
question with me as to whether the
high prices being paid for land were
justified or not. l have had some
doubt because of the fact that we oc
casionally lose portion of our fruit
crop. But that doubt is all gone
pletely demonstrated that, by the
use of a smudging system, this val
ley need never lose another fruit
crop, and. with a fruit crop assured
every year. the fruit lands of the
Grand valley are not valued one bit
too high With the certainty of a
full fruit crop each year and with
good prices always available for our
fruit. the so-called high prices for
our fruit lands are very reasonable,
indeed.
I'm my opinion, every fruit or
chard in this valley is worth more
today than it was before the freezes,
for the simple reason that local men
clearly demonstrated during these
freezes that the fruit crop can easily
be saved by smudging, and the
knowledge that such can be done
makes every orchard in this valley
more valuable than it was before.
at has also been proven by this
demonstration that the growers will
not be put at any great expense to
protect their crops"
Deserve Much Credit.
"To James l.. Hamilton. w. r
Haines. R. E. Turpin. Mr. Matlach
and other growers who. on Saturday
night and the following nights, dem
the fruit crop of this valley each
year from damage by frost or freeze
and who made such complete and
successful demonstration of this
fact, sparing neither labor nor ex-
pense the valley is greatly indebted
more so than can be estimated.
The knowledge they have given us by
these demonstrations cannot be estl-
mated in value. Their success Sat
urday night caused scores of other
growers to smudge on the following
nights and thus was great portion
of the crop saved.
Need CruGe Oil.
'I think at this time it would be
well for me to say something re-
garding smudging We may have to
do more of 1t even this season. IL
not the information can well be kept
in hand.
at was demonstrated in the differ
ent orchards that used coal oil or
kerosene in this recent cold spell
that the temperature could very cas-
lily be raised from to degrees
within a comparatively short time.
While it was very expensive using
oil which was costing the growers
high price per gallon, 1t is my oplh-
ion that the crude oil will be very
much more effective for two rea-
sons-in the first place, the pots that
the growers have been using charged
with coal oil will burn out in 1s
hours, while it is believed that the
crude oil WILL LAST FROM FIVE
TO SEVEN HOURS LONGER; sec,
ond. the crude oil WILL THROW
OUT MUCH MORE HEAT.
"This crude oil can be brought
from Florence. Colo, at very low
rate per gallon; and in a conference
with Mr. Schlacks, vice president OF
the Rio Grande railway, last Sunday
CONTINUED on page 81