The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-10-14
OPEN AIR ORCHARD HEATING.
How S3,000,000 Worth of Fruit Was
Saved From Frost in the Grand
Valley of Colorado.

The 1909 crop of fruit in the Grand
Valley in Colorado, from the Palai
sades above to Iona below, valued
at $3,O00,0O0, owes it's existence to a
unique battle which was waged
against Jack Frost at time when
the fruit was at its tenderest age,
says w. Frank Mcclure in the Sci
entific American. By unusual gen.
eral ship and the work of hundreds
of enthusiastic volunteers, the tenn
perature in these orchards was ac-
tually raised eight and nine degrees
over q miles of territory, and a pre-
cedent was established which will
mean much to the future. In Cali
fornia it is said that the temperature
has been raised heretofore in some
single orchards two or three degrees
but never to eight degrees, and new
er before has the work been carried
on over so great an area. Plans are
now on foot to have every bearing
orchard in the Grand Valley protect
ed by next season, not that there Is
any likelihood of frost every spring
in this section, but because the pro-
lection against possible repetition of
this years experience is considered
cheap insurance. Representatives
Of other fruit growing sections have
also recently visited the Grand VAL
ley, sent there from their several
communities to learn more of the re-
cent experiment
The raising of the temperature
over this large area was accomplish
ed by means of some 100000 smudge
pots of many different types some
burning oil for fuel and some coal,
and placed at intervals in the or
chards Oil was carried to the pots
in wagon tanks equipped for the
purpose. Spraying machines were
also used in distributing the oil. A
large supply of lighters was kept in
readiness in dry place. Many of
these lighters were made by wrap
ping waste about a twisted wire.
All operations were directed from
Grand Junction. Weather stations
established over much of the terri
tory, and equipped with thermostats,
when the threatening weather arriv-
ed, made half-hourly reports on the
temperature to Grand Junction.
When finally the danger point was
approaching, warning was sent to all
the ranchmen to light the fires. Vol
unteers also in nearly all walks of
life made their way in automobiles
and wagons and on bicycles over the
entire area. The Trades and Labor
Assembly adjourned it's meetings,
and worked all night rendering as
sistance. Men worked in shifts, some
at night lighting the fires, and others
in the daytime filling the pots. Even
women assisted in the work. The
campaign in all lasted four days.
So well did this orchard-heating
idea work, that while the tempera-
ture outside the heated area dropped
as low as 20 degrees, within the heat
ed area it did not go below 1917
degrees. Seventy-five per cent of all
the fruit trees which were in bloom
were cared for directly, while even
orchards owned by those who were
skeptical of the idea were saved by
the fires in the adjoining territory.
AS previously stated, there were
a great many different kinds of pots
used in this work. The number used
per acre depends upon the size. For
ty, 60 or 80 pots per acre were the
average When coal is used, it IS
usually lump or nut. With coal at
"a ton, some one has figured that
it cost him 81 per acre to heat his
orchard for six-hour run. Some OF
the oil heaters are used to the num-
Der of 60 or 80 to the acre. In tho
opinion of some, it is better to have
a small-sized pot and use more to
the acre say 60 or so, as just stated.
Taking one of the many kinds OF
pots as an example, and figuring coal
at S4 per ton, the cost of equipping
with heaters and all other facilities
for the first year for ten acres is es-
timated at S449.25, and for the sec
ond year $1S6.25. This provides in
the initial cost for 500 heaters, or so
to the acre. 1t also provides for 40
tons OF coal, kindling lighters, 50
pounds of waste, 200 gallons of oil
for lighting, the storage for oil, and
the building of a coal house. For
the first years equipment for oil
pots, including 500 pots for ten acres,
and fuel at cents a gallon, the cost
is estimated at $494.25, and for the
second year $153,75.
Now that the question of raising
the temperature even 10 to Is degree
over a large area has been settled
beyond doubt, the next problem fac
ing the fruit growers is that of reg
ulating the temperature and econ
omy of fuel and labor. For example,
there is no need of raising the tenn
perature 10 degrees when raising Il