The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1912-02-08
PROTECTING THE ORCHARD
OIL HEATERS PROVED SUCCESS.
Full IN MISSOURI.
BY w. L. Howard, Professor of Horti
culture, University Of Missouri.

Italy and France cloth screens have
been extensively used to protect both
vines and trees from frosts. Twelve
to fifteen years ago, screens made OF
laths were an inch and half apart
they confined layer of warm air un'
derneath and gave some protection. A
successful method used in California
was the spraying OF mist into the
air from poles fifty feet high. On the
same principle. orchards have been
protected by turning water into the IT.
rigation bitches at night.
Dense smokes, or 'Smudgcs, have
long been used in European countries,
The smudge prevents radiation OF the
heat from the earth and may add con-
siderable moisture to the air. Such
smudges are made by burning mix
ture of damp straw AID stable ma
nure, sacks OF manure alone, bales OF
wet straw or excelsior. the prunings
OF trees and vines etc. SmudgeS OF
this kind all put moisture into the AR,
which. though invisible, helps to pre-
vent radiation.
Coal burners have been used sue
cessfully in California, where 70 to o0
burners We're used per acre. THESE
burners marked the first practical or
chard heating. Growers found that to
equip an acre with the necessary heat
ers would cost only about $500 ana
the fuel would cost not more than
$3.50 to $500 night for the two or
,rh hat 10,
Fuel oil has replaced the coal in many
places, although some growers sun
prefer the coal
The first historic work with the
heaters is famous throughout the
country. For five nights the orchard-
lists in Colorado battled against the
frost in the spring OF 1903, and the en-
tire fruit crop was saved. At TINS
time both the coal and the Oil heaters
were used These burners do create
i. considerable amount OF smoke, ana
are often spoken of as smudge pots,
hut their chief value lies in the heat
they give Off
The oil pots i'll common use hold
from one to Ave gallons. A gallon OF
oil will burn for about four hours.
coal burner holding onefourth bushel
will last about three hours.
The devices for burning coal are
really stoves of the simplest design.
They are often made with an oil ba-
sin at the bottom which is first light
ed, and by the time. it has burned out
the coal will be started.
The oil pots are of different makes,
but all are essentially alike. They are
made of stovepipe iron, and are eth
or fitted with three legs to stand on
or a rim at the bottom. Each claims
some point of especial merit. One, for
example, has tube running through
the middle like an old-fashioned cake
pan, which is for the purpose of carry
ing air to the middle of the fame. Oil
pots, holding gallon of oil, cost about
$500 per hundred, f. o. b. BY the
thousand they would come cheaper.
Experiments in smudging and Heating
For many years the Experiment Sta
ton at the University of Missouri has
been testing devices for protecting
fruit trees from the late spring frosts.
Beginning ten or twelve years ago,
smudging was tried on several occa-
sions Smoke was generated by burn
ing tar, barnyard manure and other
refuse. As a rule, it was impossible
to get the smoke to hang over the or
ohard for a sufficient length of time
to have any apprecable effect in pre-
venting the escape of heat radiated
from the earth. Fires were built on
the windward side of the orchard
when there was any movement Of the
air, and when it was quiet the fires
were started on all sides, as the area
under experiment was small, consist
ing Of only an acre or two. At other
times movable fires were made by pill
ing earth in a wagon and building
upon the mass fire of smouldering
material By moving from place to
place, the smoke was distributed
where it seemed to be most needed.
BY the most conscientious work it
seemed impossible to raise the temper
ature more than degree or two, even
under the most favorable conditions.
Three years ago test was made of
the value of refined oil (kerosene) as
a means OF creating slUudse, and
for generating heat to warm the or
chard. Porous bricks were soaked in
the oil and when stood on end and
lighted, would burn for almost an
hour. Not enough smoke was formed
to be Of any practical value as
smudge, and the flames produced by
the burning bricks were too small to
exercise much influence on the tenn
perature. However, by using the burn
ing bricks at the rate of about one
hundred to the acre, there was rise
in the temperature of one or two de-
grees. but only for short time. It
was found impossible to keep sufh-
cient number Of bricks burning lively
at the same time and continued long
enough. This experiment was tried
in the apple orchard, and our best ef-
forts could not prevent the frost.