The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1909-07-01
Fruit crop Saved BY Telephone.

Fruit Crop Saved BY Telephone.
Fruit.raisers 10 the irrigated distr cts
OF Colorado are much elated over the
success with which weather conditions
have been met in their orchards this
spring The telephone has been instru-
mental in fighting cf these frosts. the
effects of which would undoubtedly
have been fatal to the crops had rot
extra precautions have been taken.
The story of how the vigilance of the
fruit-growers was rewarded reveals a
new and interesting triumph of scien-
tific agriculture.
The instances in question are reported
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 Gus
tom to fight frost with smudge fires in
the orchards When the temperature
drops below freeZ ng point 1t is always
necessary to resort to artificial means
to prevent damage. Accordingly the
all important question with the fruit
growers is the weather.
The Canon City telephone exchange
was of great assistance to the rarchmen
this year Daily weather reports were
given out to about 70 fruit growers, and
several hundred inquries were received
every day ir in ottrrs interested in the
weather predictions
On Monday, April 10.h, the business
Mems Association of Canon City pre-
pared a list Of 200 citizens to assist in
the work Of safeguarding the fruit crop.
The volunteers were scattered over tie
various orchards and an organized sys.
tenn Of pro ection was put in operation .
Each mans telephone numt.er was So
cured. so that he might be called upon
when needed. Two watchmen were ap-
poii ted, one to take up his position on
ne north side of the city and the other
ut the southern end. These men were
to keep tan on the temperature during
hiiO blSut u lrpplt tuCu bouI W bile
uigbt operator at the telephone ex-
change
The fruit-growers had agreed that AZ,
soon as the temperature dropped to %
degrees the alarm to smudge would be
given. The smudge alarm in the or
chaIds differ very little from an alarm
of fire in the city. The moment the
word has passed over the wires men
are seen hurrying about to and from
their stations and soon the fires are
lighted in all the ranches.
In some places crude oil is used FOR
the fires. Smudging in this section has
worked wonders. The temperature of
the orchards in some instances has
shown a raise Of from 8 to u degrees,
and the crops have been saved from
destruction. So it was that though
three heavy frosts were recorded the
fruit was not frozen.
In the fruit districts of Grand june
ton and Montrose, in the same state,
conditions prevailed Special
reports were received from the
government and at once transmitted to
the fruit-growers.
1t is little wonder hat the PERCENTAGE
of telephone development has reached a
high figure in the belt. The instru-
has proved itself of i~ncalculable
to the growers, and any who failed
to provide themselves with telephone
facilities were in a sorry fix when the
ate spring frosts set in. it is only one
the many instances where the tele-
phone has come to the rescue of the
The phone service in this
section was furnished by the Colorado
Company, which like all
other lines of the Bell system uses the
and apparatus of the West
I'm Electric Company.