Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-06-25
Fruit Crop Saved By Telephone

Fruit Crop Saved BY Telephone
Frit-growen in the irrigated
districts of Colorado are much
elated over the success with which
weather conditions have been mel
in their orchards this spring. The
telephone has been instrumental
an fighting off 3 frosts, the ef-
fects Of which would undoubtedly
have been fatal to the crops had
not extra precautions been taken.
The story of how the vigilance of
the frllit-raisers was rewarded re
v3als & LEV AID i.1s.ra3.i-g a.
umph of scientific agriculture.
The Instances in question are re-
ported from Canon City, in the
ranch section of Colorado. The
fruit interests here are extensive,
and the annual crop is of great
value. 1t has long been the custoI
to fight frost with smudge fires
in the orchards. When the TEN.
perature drops below freezing
point it is always necessary to re
sort to artificial means to pre-
vent damage. Accordingly the
all-impOrtant question with thu
frmt-growers is the weather.
The Canon City telephone ex
change was of great assistance tt
the ranchmen this year. Daily
weather reports were given out t
about Is fruit-growers, and sew
eral hundred inquiries were re
eeived every day from others in
terested in the weather predic
tiOns.
On Monday April 10Th, the Bus
mess Mems Association of Can
on City prepared a list of 2O(
citizens to assist in the work o.
safeguarding the fruit crop. TIL,
volunteers weere scattered owe
various orchards and an organic
ed system of protection was pu
in operation. Each mans teDe
phone number was secured, 81
that he might be called upon i
needed. Two watchmen were ap
pointed, one to take up his posi-
ton on the north side of the cit,
and the other at the southern
| end. These men were to keep ia
on the temperature during tn
night and report each hour to tn
night operator at the telephel
exchange, - 1912
The fruit-grOwers had agree
THAT as soon as the temper;
ture dropped to go degrees th
alarm to smudge would be givel
The smudge alarm in the orcharc
differs very little from an alan
of fire in the city. The momer
the word has been passed owe
the wires, men are seen hurryin
about to and from their station
and soon the fires are lighted j
all the ranches.
I In some places crude oil
used for the fires. Smudging i
this section has worked wonder
The temperature of the orchard
In some instances has shown
rise of from s to IL degrees, an
the crops have been saved froi
destruction. So it was that a
Al
though three heavy frOSts wer
recorded tn -ruit was not frozel
In the fruit districts of Gran
Junction and MontrOse, in tn
same state, similar conditions DIT
vailed. Special weather report
were received from the govern
ment and at once transmitted /
the fruitgrowerS.
1t is little wonder that til
percentage of telephone develoI
ment has reached high figur
in the belt. That instrument hs
proved itself of incalculable va
ne to the growers, and any VIII
failed to provide themselves wit
telephone facilities were in a sol
ry fix when the late spring frost
set in. 1t is only one of tn
many instances where the tel,
phone has come to the rescue {
the farmer. The phone servic
in this section was furnished b
the Colorado Telephone Compan,
which like all other lines of tn
Bell system uses the telephone
and apparatus Of the Western E
aoty.ia Ho,oDon