Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1910-02-04
NJ. Mahoney Tells How Two
Million Dollar Fruit Crop was
Saved In Grand Junction
BOISE ORCHARDISTS ORGANIZE
Boise Valley Lost Entire Fruit Crop Last
Year but Growers are Taking Steps
to Ensure" Crop for this Season

M. Mahoney was the man who one
year ago organized the fruit growers Of
Grand Junction. Colorado, and saved
two million dollar fruit crop from the
spring frosts by the use ofsmudge pots.
He was Secretary of the Grand juno
tion Chamber of Commerce at the time
and recently his services were secured
by the Oregon Short Line to accompany
their Farmers Demonstration Special
and tell the people along the route of
travel how the thing was do e.
Mr.. Mahoney began his talk by say
ing that no part of the United States
is exempt from damage by spring
frosts and that the only way to insure
against them is to use smudge pots.
He estimated the annual loss from
this source at 80 per cent of normal
yield.
The Grand Junction valley once
claimed to be one of those favored
spots that was never visited by damag-
ing spring frosts.
Three years ago their fruit was totally
killed by spring frosts and the same
thing happened the next year. The
third year-one year ago-every or
chardist who did not smudge his trees
lost his entire crop. Every man who
smudged saved good crop of fruit on
every tree that was near the fires.
Trees on the outside rows that were
not smudged on the outside, raised
good fruit on the inside branches and
none on the outside limbs.
When fruit grower at Grand juno
ton goes to a bank in the city and
asks for loan, the first question the
banker asks him is. 'Do you smudge
your trees for spring frosts?" If the
question is answered in the affirmative
the man can secure loan at re-
duced rate of interest.
Money lenders there regard smudging
as crop insurance and any loan they
may make to fruit grower is based on
the smudging proposition
There were 200, 900 smudge pots
going at one time in the orchards OF
Grand Junction last spring, of many
different kinds and models. Some used
crude coal oil and some coal. Every
kind did good service but some makes
were preferred to others. Mr.. Mahoney
had several kinds with him on the train
which were inspected by the people,
present.
To prepare for smudging, an orchard
ist needs q government tested ther-
mometer, a thermostat which is an ell
ectrical device for giving an alarm
when the thermometer goes down to
the danger point, and lot of smudg
pots with fuel on hand to fill them and
keep them going.
AS the Oregon Short Line has granted
low rate on crude oil from California
to Idaho points, it is likely that crude
oil will be adopted as a desirable
smudge fuel in this part of the country.
1t is also easier handled than coal.
Since the Demonstration Special went
through Southern Idaho last week, the
fruit growers OF the Boise valley arc
to install smudging SER
vice this spring. Every farmer who
joins must have telephone connection
with the central office of the organiza-
tion. In this way signal of danger
sent in from any ranch can be trans
mitted to every member of the organi-
zation without the loss of moment OF
time
Every fruit grower must have his
oil and pots ready for instant use and
a plan of action mapped out and under
stood by his help before the season
opens Then when a danger signal
flashes along the wires every man,
woman and child in the community old
enough to be of service is expected to
rally at the orchards and go to work
for the night.
In this way good crop of fruit Gag
be saved every season.