The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1909-11-19
lENNEW|CK FRUIT CAN
Be SAVED FROM FROST
lcHARD HEATERS AND FIRE POTS SAVE GRAND JUNCTION GRIP
MANAGER SLY CNCHES EVERY DETAIL OF THE METHOD WHICH
GUARANTEES CROPS UNDER CONDITIONS PREVAILING
IN The PAST

Manager E. NJ. Sly of the Fruit
Growers Association, who was sent
As the special representative by the
hrmers to Grand Junction Colorado
frlit district to study their frost
preyention methods, returned home
Sunday evening. He spent all the
time possible at the work and
looked into the matter in detail
from every possible view point. He
is Convinced that the methods they
use will'work to equal advantage
in the KennewicksValley. He is
enthusiastic about it. Community
Frost fighting spells prosperity for
all in the Kennewick Valley, is his
firm belief.
The Grand Junction people lost
their crops by freezing in 1907 and
1908. Smudging saved the 1909
crop and everything is prosperous.
They smudged on the wholesale
plan. They used more than a
quarter of million pots. They burnt
81 carloads of oil and an equal
amount of coal. They smudged for
miles around. Every man, woman
and child in town and country,
business men, Bank presidents,
preachers, printers, everybody was
out helping keep the fires going on
the frosty nights. They smudged
five nights and saved the crop.
From this valley "a miles long
and up to six miles wide they will
ship 5000 cars of fruit this season.
They have shipped 400 car loads of
peaches. They will ship a total of
1000 cars Of apples. The week that
Sly was there they averaged 25 cars
o. apples per day or $50 for the
week, the big day Of the week they
shipped 33 car loads. Other fruits
complete the total. We had hoped
for complete statement from Mr..
Sly but he is confined at his home
with the grippe and we have only a
few words over the phone from him
on the all important subject. He
plans a monster meeting to give in
detail his report and the facts and
figures which he has collected. To
organize the entire community for
a fruit saving and frost fighting
campaign is the most vital question
for Kennewick in the next three
months. Because we have not been
able to get Mr.. Sly's report in full
for the reasons above given. we
publish in full the statement sent
out by the Grand Junction Fruit
Growers Association explaining the
method, showing the cost, and the
highly favorable results.
During last spring it was neces-
sary for the average grower to en-
ploy smudge pots five nights. Three
or four varieties of oil pots were
used. The first brought to Grand
Junction valley very much resem-
bles n.pound lard bucket, only
made of sheet iron with air vents OF
about one-half an inch in diameter
cut at the top. Another resembles
an ash pan from range with a
sliding cover, to which is attached
an apron. With the latter pot the
hre surface can be regulated by
sliding the cover and any desired
hre surface from 5 to IT'S square in
ches obtained. The former pot is
known as the Fresno pot and the
latter, Grand Junction invention
ls known as the Hamilton pot. An
other oil pot known as the Plank
pot has square base for oil; this
Is covered. From the center of the
cover hole is cut large enough fol
aplpe about six inches in height
and diameter inserted for draft
Inc Fresno and the Plank pots vii
tase the temperature from s to Il
degrees, while it is claimed for thu
namlltoh pot that it will increast