CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1908-05-14
Committees Report

Committees Report
We, the undersigned committee Sc.
lected to investigate fruit conditions
on the western slope and the meth.
DDS used there to protect the fruit
from frost and the results attending
the same, respectfully submit our re.
port to the fruit growers and citizens
of Canon City as follows:
In the course OF our Investigations
we inspected the fruit growing dis
tricts of Montrose, Delta, Paonia
Grand Junction, Clifton and Palisade
We arrived at Montrose on May 5th
and found the trees on the uplands
practically in full bloom; the trees on
the lowlands in Montrose were some
what more advanced.
We found on inquiry that the tenn
perature was % degrees on the morn
ing OF April 26th, which was 4 degrees
lower than that registered by the gov
ernment thermometer in Canon City
on the same day, The damage done to
the orchards on the, mesa lands at
Montrose was slight, while In the low
lands 1t was quite serious. We found
at Montrose some smudging had been
done, but we failed to find any sub
stantial benefit derived therefrom.
At Delta, the bloom was consider
ably further advanced than at Mont
rose, and with about the same tenn
perature, the damage was correspond
ingly greater.
The Paonia district was also In the
neighborhood OF two weeks later than
the Canon City district. At this point
smudging was done more extensively
than at any place we visited. Refuse
OF all kinds was burned for three sue
cessive nights. Great fires we're made
on the land lying Just outside OF the
fruit district by burning trees and
shrubbery. 1t Is said that the entire
town turned out to assist in this work
The Business Mems association OF Pa
onia was made the headquarters for
distributing helpers to the different
points OF the valley. The smudge was
SO great that. as reported to us, poul-
try died from the effects OF it. The
greater part of this smudge settled
upon the lowlands of the valley bor-
dering on the river which flows near
the town.
We naturally were deeply interested
to know the result OF this extraordi-
nary effort by the people of Paonia.
and drove over more than thirty miles
OF this territory and made personal
inspection OF the conditions of the or
chards in the different localities. We
found that the most serious damage
was done in the lowlands along the
river, where the smudge was most
dense. The orchards lying on a mesa
on the northerly side OF the river were
but slightly damaged, while on the up
lands to the south OF the river, the
damage was quite serious, amounting
In some portions to almost total loss.
We interviewed a large number Of
fruit growers and business men, who
assisted in this effort to save the fruit
crop, and the sentiment was practi-
cally unanimous that the results OBJ
tanned were due to the heat produced
by the fires rather than from the
smudge.
1t Is difficult to estimate the per-
centage OF loss to the fruit crop in the
Paonia district, but we believe that It
is safe to say, that there will be Is
per cent OF an apple crop, and from
IS per cent to 80 per cent Of peach
crop. and while the cherry, plum and
pear are not grown there extensively,
good share OF these fruits are also
safe.
We 6nd from Investigation, that the
bloom at Grand junction was at about
ffhs same point OF development ~ the
Canon City district was at the time II
the severe frost OF April sS and 70
|! and the period following. Ths lowest
tsmperaturs reported to us was -
oSTo>s o April 3stA. We f1on1
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