The daily sentinel., 1908-04-29
'SMUDGING
SAVES CROP
Desperate and Effective Fight Made by
Grand Valley Citizens Last Night
Against Frost King---Tempera-
ture Kept up by Fire and
Smoke---Little Danger
Tonight

Never in the history of the Grand
valley was there such general smudg-
ing done as on last night. The peo-
pie We're thoroughly aroused to the
seriousness of the situation and the
danger threatening the fruit crop,
and as result great clouds of smoke
hung over the valley all during the
night. and there is no question but
what the fruit crop was saved from
terrific damage.
Although the temperature fell low
last night in nearly every section of
the valley, it did not go as low, gen
orally speaking, as it did on Satur-
day night, and no lower than it fell
on Sunday night.
No Heavy Damage Done.
The Sentinel. after calling by tel
ephone many fruit growers in near
ly every district, after consulting the
records of the nights temperature
ranges as filed at the weather bu-
reau, believes that it is speaking
truthfully in saying that very little
additional damage was done to the
fruit crop of the valley last night
wherever smudging was done, and
that smudging alone prevented heavy
ley is absolutely certain.
Answered the Call.
The call for volunteers to work
in the fruit orchards was valiantly
answered by scores of men and
large number of Grand Junction men
worked faithfully all during the
oht 10 pIi CT
indebted to all that helped them out
in this time of need
Began Smudging Early.
Many of the ranchmen did not
wait until the early morning hours
to start smudging, for it was evident
early in the evening that. the tenn
perature would take drop, and as
a result by 10 pm. hundreds of the
fires were burning in the
valley and the smell of smoke was
in the air.
AS expected, the wind that had
blown all day died down at dusk and
the air was very cold and still. All
night men were on duty at the wealth
er bureau in this city, headed by Cb-
server Hardinge and Prof. Whipple.
Temperature stages were recorded
every few minutes from various sec
tions of the valley. The bureau was
in touch with every grower that had
a telephone.
How Temperatures Ranged.
From to IL pm. the tempera-
ture ranged from 40 degrees to 30
degrees in most districts. The low
est recorded prior to 10 pm. was
3S degrees at Hamilton's ranch. AT
1920 pm. the temperature fell to
32 degrees at the Nottingham or
chard in Pomona park.
At 1925 pm. the temperature
stood at 33 degrees at the Hamilton
orchard.
From 1880 pm. on the tempera-
ture began to gradually fall in most
sections. The following are some of
the temperature stages recorded dur
ing the night:
IL mldnlght.-32 degrees at the
Turpin orchard.
12:15 a.m.-35 degrees at the
Matlach orchard.
1920 a.m.-32 degrees between
Palisade and Clifton, drop of de-
grees in 10 minutes.
1920 a.m.-A raise from 80 to
35 degrees was recorded at the
Smith orchard in Pomona park. This
raise was brought about by the en-
ployment of smudges.
1890 a.m.-The temperature was
SO degrees in Hamilton's orchard
and % degrees outside. Thus Mr..
1000 smudge pots kept
his orchards temperature up de-
grees and absolutely saved his crop
during the night.
1890 a.m.-On Orchard NEST 3S
and "a degrees was recorded at diff
ferent places.
1 a.m.-The temperature stood 81
degrees. at Hamilton's orchard and