Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1914-03-26
nsa, Orchards to save Fruit.


jefferson City.-The United states
department OF agriculture says that
in many parts of this country the late
spring frosts make II absolutely nee
essary for fruit growers OF adopt the
practice Of orchard heating in order
to obtain annual crops of fruit when
the fruit buds pass through the win
ter safely. This is particularly true
with all tree fruits except apples and
pears in the eastern and southern
states, and with all tree fruits in the
central and western states. Enough
has been done in orchard heating
throughout the entire country to
prove IFS efficiency and practicability,
but little has been done on the study
Of air currents, heat radiation, inhu-
ence Of slopes, hills and surrounding
country generally on orchards where
heaters have been used. Following
are directions for archard heating pre-.
pared by a specialist in the depart.
ment of agriculture
Types Of Heaters,
There are many types of oil-burning
orchard heaters of all sizes and shapes
at prices ranging from 20 to rs cents
each The early ones were mostly
small and of the lard pail" type.
while the more recent ones are larger
and rectangular in shape.
Number Of Heaters Per Acre.
II is better to have many sources
Of heat than few, even though the to-
tai amount of heat is the same in
be placed from 20 to % feet apart
each way In rows between the trees
rather than near 10 or under the trees,
and on the windward side Of the or.
chArd they should be about 10 feet
apart in row perhaps 10 or 20 feet
away from the first row of trees and
outside Of the orchard. This outside
row thus has an extra number of heat
ers because II must protect the first
row of trees and because the heat
from II is so much scattered by the
wind that fewer heaters could not
give the necessary protection. The
heaters are placed in rows to facili-
tate filling, lighting and extinguishing
them.
The condition OF the fruit buds,
whether partly open or wide open,
makes some little difference in the
danger point of the temperature, but
as soon as they first begin to open,
81 degrees F. had better be accepted
as meaning trouble. While the buds
are still closed they will stand a low
er temperature and heating is seldom
or never done until they begin to open.
Good judgment is necessary at this
time in order not to burn fuel use
lessly. Tested thermometers should
be distributed throughout the orchard
and also a couple of places for com
parison outside the orchard. II the
temperature goes down slowly during
the night and reaches 80 degrees a
short time before sunrise. it will not
be necessary to light the heaters. II
the temperature reaches 80 degrees
earlier in the night, then every fourth
heater should be lighted, and more if
necessary TO keep II at 32 degrees or
a little higher. The thermometers
outside the orchard must be watched
so as to know how cold it is away
from the heated area.
The kind of oil used, whether crude,
fuel or distillate, will depend upon
which is available in the different sec
tons. The oils with an asphaltum
base are not desirable because there
is too much unburnable residue; those
with paraffin base are much better
in this respect.
The cost of oil heating equipment
varies greatly and each fruit grower
must work 1t out for himself. The
heaters are worth from 500 to SIS per
acre, depending anon the kind used.
At least 300 gallons of oil per acre
must be on hand 70 begin with. This
will cost from 50 to $50. Distributing
tanks and storage tanks will add to
the expense, according to the size and
kind used. The buckets, torches, etc,
do not add much 10 the expense.
There had better be an oversupply
OF equipment than an undersupply, be-
cause If one heating is omitted at
critical time the whole expense goes
for naught that year.
Columbia Complains Of Gas Cost.
Jefferson City.-The gas inquiry be-
fore the state public service commits
sion developed that the Columbia Gas