Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1909-10-28

The artificial heating of orchards
as means of saving the fruit crop
from being destroyed by late frosts is
a question which is receiving almost
universal attention and so great in
Importance has it become that the
government is conducting expert
ments along this line at number of
its experimental stations. In the
south the artificial heating of the
orange orchards to save the crop has
long been a practice. although the
methods used there are crude com
pared with the later devices invented
and used in the northern states.
Especially in the mountainous re-
gions of the northwest have late
frosts been very destructive every few
years and in order to combat against
the foe which suddenly hits the fruit
crop out of existence in a single night
for many miles around the country,
and in many instances destroying the
entire crop in many sections. as was
the case this spring, a combined effort
is being made to install orchard heat
ing machines and the Boise Valley
Fruit Growers association has APP
pointed a committee to investigate
the ACCESSIBILITY Of the installing Of
such machines and to ascertain the
price at which crude oil can be OBJ
tanned for burning H. E. McElrQy.
chairman OF the committee who has
been giving the matter careful atten-
ton and has eeFFesponded with Colo
-fado orchaFdlsts, who have success
fully operated heating devices, has
furnished the following data con-
corning the proposed plan of heating
orchards to save the fruit crop:
IfA Work OF Association,
Replying to your request for in
formation as to what preparation the
Boise Valley Fruit Growers associa-
tion is making to assist the orchard
lists in frost fighting next spring l
have to say:
"On Auguts p we applied to the
Oregon Short Line Railway company
for rate on crude oil in tank cars
from Florence. Colorado, to points in
western Idaho. They have since adj
yised us that as soon as the tariff can
legally go into effect, a rate will be
made of SO cents per 100 pounds in
car loads We also learned that the
price for smudge oil this year at Flor
ence was ~ cents gallon This
viii make the price, delivered in
Boise valley Of a little less than TX
cents per gallon in tank car lots.
sample Heaters at Fair.
"On September IS the board of di-
rectors appointed a committee con-
sisting of b. F. Hurst. w L. Turner
Judge Wood. w ~ Yost and myself
to arrange for an orchard heating de-
monstration to be made the week of
the state fair in an orchard to be Sc
lected for that purpose. This COM
mittee proposed to the different man
ufacturers of orchard heaters that
each should furnish heaters to heat
five acres of orchard. the association
furnishing the smudge oil and labor
necessary for an actual demonstra-
ton. One company signifed its will
ingness to participate and others had
the matter under consideration, when
we learned that the oil could not be
obtained in time for this purpose.
We applied. however. to the manu-
facturers for sample heaters to be
sent us by express and they We're on
exhibition at the state fair.
Must Order Soon.
1--WE have corresponded quite ex-
tensively for the purpose of ascer-
tanning just what preparation the or
chardists must make so as to be
ready for business next spring 1t
will be necessary that the orchardists
select and order sufficient heaters.
The manufacturers say that orders
should be placed as soon as possible,
since the demand will be large. The
association will order heaters for its
members whenever a conclusion is
reached as to the most desirable
make Of heater We hope to order in
..,,Io,1 lots If noeeihle The coef