Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1909-10-21
MORE FACTS ABOUT HEATERS
Interesting Article in Scientific Am
erican Telling of Success of
Method in Fighting Frosts
in Fruit Section.

rado. The subject is of such vital
interest to this section it is deemed
valuable reading matter for our read
ers.
The 1909 crop of fruit in Grand
Valley in Colorado. from the Palisa-
des above Iona below, valued at 49,
100000 owes its existence to an un-
ique battle when was rascd against
Jack Frost AZ tinc whcp nc fruit
was at its tenderest age BY unusu-
al generalship and the work of humid
reds of enthusiastic volunteers, the
temperature in these orchards was
actually raised eight and nine deg
rees over 81 miles of territory, and
a precedent was established which
will mean much to the future In
California it is said that the tempera-
ture has been raised heretofore in
some single orchards two or three de-
grees, but never to eight degrees,
Gnu A0N1A OClOAN Has the WOIA Dtcu
carried on over so great an area.
Plans are now on foot to have every
bearing orchard in the Grand Val
ley protected by next season, not
that there is any likelihood of frost,
every spring in this section, but be-
cause the protection against any pos
sible REPETITION of this years exper-
ience is considered cheap insurance.
Representatives of other fruit grow
ing sections have also recently visit
ed the Grand Valley, sent there from
their several communities to learn
more of the recent experiments.
The raising of the temperature ov-
er this large area was accomplished
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 pur-
pose. Spraying machines were also
used in distributing the oil. A large
supply of lighters was kept in readi-
ness in a dry place Many of these
lighters were made by wrapping
waste about twisted wire. z
All operations were directed from
Grand Junction weather stations es-
tablshed over much of the territory,
and equipped with thermostats, when
the threatening weather arrived,
half-hour reports on the tempera-
ture to Grand Junction.
When finally the danger point was
approaching warning was sent to all
the ranchman to light the fires. Vol
unteers also in nearly all walks of
life made their way in automobiles
and on bicycles over the entire
area. The Trades and Labor AS
sembly adjourned it's meeting, and
worked all night rendering assistance.
Men worked in shifts, some at night
lighting the fires, and others in the
daytime filling the pots. Even wo-
men assisted in the work. The cam
paign in all lasted four days.
So well did this orchard heating
idea work, that while the tempera-
ture outside the heated area drop
ped as low as 20 degrees, within the
heated area it did not go below 20 Y
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 us
ed per acre depends upon the size
Forty, so or 80 pots per acre was
the average. When coal is used it is
usually lump or nut With coal al
81 ton some has figured that ii
cost him S4 per acre to heat his or
chard for a six hour run. Some of the
oil heaters are used to the number OF
60 to so to the acre In the opinion
of some it is better to have a small
sized pot and use more to the acre
say 60 or so, just as stated.
Taking one of the many kinds OF
pots as an example, and figuring Goa
at s4 a 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 s186.25. This provides il
the initial cost for 500 heaters, Of
so to the acre. It also provides foi
40 tons of coal, kindling lighters, 81
pounds of waste, 200 gallons of OF
for lighting, the storage for oil, ant
the building of coal houses. For thu
first years equipment for oil pots
ON ..ot- e.. n r,oroc % n,