Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1909-10-28
ORCHARD HEATERS WILL
SAVE THE FRUIT CROP
Methods of Heating and Heaters in Use
in Colorado Fruit Districts TO
Save the Crops.

! in tank car lots and viii enable the
members to take oil from the car for
a trihe less than Z Y cents per gallon.
For this purpose. water tanks viii be
necessary. While there are many
heaters that will doubtless do the
work, the following appear to have
been thoroughly tested and deserve
careful investigation:
Successful Heaters.
The Hamilton heater. invented by
James L. Hamilton of Grand juno
ton, Colo, the orchardist who made
the successful demonstration in or
chard heating in 1908. which re-
suited in general orchard heating in
Colorado in 1909.
'The Troutman Orchard Heater,
manufactured by the Round Crest
Orchard Heater of Canyon City. Colo.
"The heater made by the National
Orchard Heater company of Grand
Junction, Colo.
In order to be fully equipped, the
orchardist will probably need to pur-
chase from $50 to 800 gallons of
smudge oil for each size of orchard to
be heated This would probably pro-
vide sufficient for heating the orchard
thoroughly from midnight till morn
ing. three separate times in the sea-
SON. But 1t is not likely that all of
the heatings would need to be so
thorough as this, hence the supply of
oil might provide to go much further
It viii be necessary for the orchard
its to provide a cement cistern or gall
yanized tank Of sufficient capacity to
store the OIL We have written each
Of the above heater companies re-
questing detailed information as to
the best methods OF storing oil.
Each has written us detailed infor-
nation on the subject. One advo-
Gates the use Of galvanized iron tanks
while the others advocate cement els
terms, carefully constructed. AS
these letters contain the practical in
formation which is actually needed
by the orchardists, hand you the
same and ask that so far as space viii
permit, you publish the same fully
I have ascertained from the hard
ware men in Boise that by taking not
less than 20 galvanized iron tanks
with capacity Of about 1900 gallons
each, the association can secure thees
iron tanks made of 60. l6 iron. for
about $50 each.
Weather Bureau Aids.
'Mr Wells. of the United States
weather bureau. has advised us that
they will be ready to cooperate with
our association and with the fruit
growers generally so that a system
can be inaugurated whereby each
fruit grower will be advised by tele-
phone when frost is threatened The
association expects to cooperate with
the weather bureau furnishing the
necessary assistance so as to perfect
system whereby the orchardist
will not only be in touch with the
weather bureau, but with others.
"While this subject is a new one.
and no one can speak with absolute
certainty as to the best methods or
the precise cost, yet the experience Of
Colorado has demonstrated what can
be accomplished along lines that have
been proven and tested. The success
full orchardists in Boise valley must
make careful preparation for orchard
heating. 1t seems foolish to claim
that this locality is an exception to
the general rule.
when the undersigned visited
Hood River a short time ago. he was
gravely assured that frost protection
was wholly unnecessary there. The
owner OF the first orchard visited,
one of the oldest and best known in
that valley. stated that the crop
would not exceed 10 per cent. OF the
ordinary yield. The up-to-date fruit
grower anywhere is getting ready to
fight frosts and unless the orchardists
of Boise valley do the same. we can
not expect to stand in the front rank
as fruit growing community.
HUGH E. McELROY.
Secretary Boise Valley Fruit Grow
ers' association. Limited"
Colorado Disappoints.
Since handing your communica-
ton in regard to orchard heating
Mr. Bills, who represents the Cont
mental Oil company. has showed me
a communication to Mr. e. Fl. Dunn
as follows
We will not be in a position to
, furnish smudge oil from Colorado
points for use i'm Idaho. This for the
reason that we anticipate a demand
from the Colorado fruit growers at
least equal to and urObabIv i'm excess