The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-01-13
PREVENTING FROST
INJURY
HORTICULTURAL COMMISSION
Err HUNTLEY SAYS FROST HAS
BEEN PREVENTED-AD VO-
Gates sMUDGE IDEA.


ley in paper on the subject of "The
Prevention of Frost Injury in Orch
ards" advocated the smudge idea and
condemned the idea as absurd Of at
tempting by means of heaters Ito
heat up the atmosphere in the heav-
ems.
AS the actual heat of the FIRE counts
for nothing, except in the immediate
vicinity, no advantage would result
from any practical number Of heat
ers without the latent heat of the
earth, absorbed during the day.
"A soil temperature at night, dur
ing the spring months, is not infre-
Quently from ten to thirty degrees
warmer than the temperature Of the
air. 1t can readily be seen what an
enormous amount OF Naturalization
then takes place. This heat will be
lost, for all practical purposes, II
the atmosphere is clear; but IL the
atmosphere is heavy, whether made
SO by artificial means or by natural
conditions, the heat is retarded in its
upward NOV ement, and the tempera-
ture of the air nearer the earth is
greatly modified. 1t is true, as many
know, that on cloudy nights there is
less danger of frost than on clear
nights. This is due to the fact that
the clouds-heavy atmospheric con-
ditions-prevent the rapid escape of
the heat from the earth, and hold it
where it is OF practical benefit to the
buds and blossoms. 1t also intercepts
the falling of the cold from above
to the earth.
1.-The 'smudge' idea is to create an
artificial cloud to hang low over the
area to be protected. This cloud
acts as cover, through which the
heat escapes slowly, and the radiation
of the earth's heat is thus saved with
in the limits of usefulness, and the
rapid fall of the temperature of the
air is prevented. The basis of this
artificial cloud, for most practical
purposes, covering extended areas, is
smoke With certain limitations, the
condensation of moisture, in addi-
tion to the smoke, is beneficial, as a
moist atmosphere is heavier than
dry air. The best material to use
in making this cloud or 'smudge' is
something that will burn with a slow,
smouldering fire, and produce guam
titles OF smoke. Materials which
burn quickly may do more harm
than good, as they afford little
smoke and. cause upward currents of
air which carry off the heat rapidly.
One orchard heater patentee, who is
at present advertising his particular
continuance extensively, claims as it's
strong point, that it has central
draft and will produce clean, I'M
adulterated heat, with little or no
smudge. 1t would seem that this
man has undertaken to heat the
heavens. Sc far as recent tests have
demonstrated, where large areas are
to be protected the most practical
and economical material to burn is
crude or fuel oil, although some of
the most successful attempts at
smudging have been made by burn
ing coarse, strawy manure and other
damp vegetation, which makes little
fire, but furnish great volumes of
smoke. The burning of such mater
ial, however, is not advisable, because
of the inconvenience in handling it
and also because of the ultimate de-
pletion of the fertility of the soil
following such a practice. -