Omaha daily bee., 1911-05-28

whole out-of-doors" BY more step
= agricultural science has advanced
sFfaH against the adversities of natural con-
HZMl ditions, through the agency of the orch
ard heater which recently had prac-
tcal demonstration across the river in Iowa.
The belated freeze wind borne, battles in vain
for the gay petaled blossoms and embryonic fruit,
defended by batteries of tiny stoves, sending forth
volleys Of heat against the forbidding sky.
In the two years that the orchard heater has
become a factor in crop preservation thousands OF
carloads of fruits in the middle and far west have
been saved The saving is to be computed in the mil
lions of dollars. It is all the work of little piece OF
sheet iron and handful OF fuelthe orchard heater.
The area of usefulness of the orchard heater is
nearly as great as the United States. Only one point
the nation is absolutely beyond the danger of
FROST that is the Florida Keys In Nebraska
Iowa, Colorado, Idaho and in fact, throughout the
west hardly that the heater cannot be
advantage The orchard heater has been tried
out and found efficient in Ohio On east, California
on the west and Florida the south. The system has
been found efficacious for temperatures ranging
low as fifteen degrees below fatal freezing point
and in the face Of high which constantly tear
away the heat blanket created by the tiny stoves
Long Used in European Orchards.
Orchard heating is the evolution of process long
known to advanced agrcuIturists Europe, who
for more than 100 years resOrted the Of
''smudge pots" The smudge pot is used to create
fog smoke and steam, tending the young
buds from sunlight OF early spring days and thus
check their development at period when they might
be exposed dangerous temperatures in the advanced
condition. The orchard heater aims at different
purpose the increasing OF temperature and its main
tenance at a point above the danger line smudging
retards the crop development and delays the date of
maturity Of the fruit; orchard heating accelerates
it, increasing the market value OF the crop.
Another aim OF the smudging process looks TO
the prevention OF rapid thawing Of buds that be
frozen-invoIving the same principle that used in
rubbing frozen with snow. restoration of circu
lation without sudden changes in the affected tissue
The orchard heater prevents the original freezing and
CONSEQUENT weakening OF the young fruit life which
is involved in rescue by the smudge method It is
the old axiom OF prevention put into
terial effect.
The nightly battles against frost during the cold
snaps in the western orchards present picturesque
scenes Across the covered reaches thousands OF
lights twinkle and glow at the base OF the columns
OF rapidly ditfusng smoke, ascending into the
tering foliage and disseminating its warmth among
the flower petals The Of the sky above and the
starlke flames springing from the firepots below
seem conducting a OF radiance across the miles
OF darksome chill From the first grazing approach
OF nightfaH until the sunlight Of the day the
, fires CLEAN through the orchards. Perhaps even
through the day the fires are continued. II the low
temperature is not abated by the warming rays Thus
for perhaps week at time In trying the
battle against the cold may carried on. There can
be no rslentng after the fight started for any