The Delta independent., 1909-01-29
Fruit Crop too VAL
liable not to be
Protected
So Says Grand Junction
Commercial Association
Insure Against Frost

insure Against FROST
1t will be seen by the following from
Grand Junction that the matter of pro-
viding heating pots for the orchards
down that way is being taken up by
the commercial association.
Delta county cannot afford to lose
even part of another fruit crop if
heating will prevent it, and what the
Grand Junction people are doing in the
matter is appended and may form bit
of interesting reading:
1.-The committee appointed by the
Chamber of Commerce has actively
taken up the work to further in all
possible ways the protection of our or
chards against a frost next spring.
Through the fruit growers associations
a circular with list of questions at
tached will be mailed to the growers
of the valley.
These questions are framed so as to
bring into the possession of the COM
mlttee definite information in regard
to the situation concerning orchard
heaters, as to what proportion of the
orchard area is now provided with frost
protection devices, as to the total
amount of coal and oil to be needed,
and as to whatever financial problem
that may stand in the way of extending
such frost protection.
The growers are urged to answer
properly and fully the questions asked
in order that the committee suffer no
delay in taking such other steps as
true information regarding the situa-
ton may demand. At best the time in
which to order pots with certainty as
to delivery is short. Growers who
have not yet provided themselves with
pots but who expect 70, should lose no
time in doing so.
1t has been reported that because
the fuel supply. whether coal or oil,
is cash proposition, the sale of pots
has been seriously checked. The chief
aim of the committee is to ascertain
to what extent this is true and, if hav-
stacles.
The CONNER cial and financial inter
ests of the valley are so bound togeth-
er with the fruit growing interests
in the matter of frost protection that
it is not believed that any grower. with
a bearing orchard behind him, will
have to go without pots for lack of
financial support.
At Canon City all such arrangements
for the virtual protection of the crop
as whole have been completed. For
three years the Canon City fruit crop
has been badly affected by frosts. Last
spring because they had been bit by
two consecutive frosts there was a
confident feeling that third frost
would not strike them. But it did and
now they are not going to take any
chances.
If insurance against loss by fire is
used on time principle, then no grow
er can escape the cogency of the agree
ment in favor of frost protection.
Whether we expect a frost next
spring or not, the need that every
grower put in the pots is equally i'm
perative, for man does not insure his
house because he expects it to burn
ovl; he insu res it so that, economi-
cally. it can not burn down, that is. so
that the money value in it can not be
destroyed.
The argument in favor of the pots is
made all the more convincing by an
anylisis of the cost of the insurance,
At the start the outlay, it is true, is
but looked at in its true
light, it will be found, in one important
that when the pots are bought
The premium on your frost policy is
paid in advance for ten years.
If properly cared for. that is if the
pots are coated with oil when stored
AWAY for the year, they should last ten
years. 1t is above the average cost to
igure twenty dollars per acre for the
pots. Estimating the life of the pot
It ten years that would be two dollars
|, year per acre for the pots. Even
that it would be necessary to
light the pots once every spring during
he ten years. and placing the cost Of
hat fuel at five dollars per acre ayear,
which would even cover the cost of
burning one hundred gallons of oil per
acre, we have total cost of pots and
fuel per acre year Of seven dollars.