Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1921-05-13

daytime heat, regrets his generosity of the sun
shiny hours.
On rainy days, when the cloud strata has cut
off the suns heat, the earth is not much warmed
during the day. IT, during the night, the clouds
blow away the earth is apt to go bankrupt. That
is why, when the season is passing from spring
to summer. from summer to fall, three days
rain is so often followed by frost The first
clear night presents heat bills TO the earth which
he is unable to pay, and Jack Frost natures
sheriff. places his crisp seal upon the improVident
old fellow. The farmer looks out across his
blasted fields in the morning and signs, "a Kill
ing frost last night" And this Is because the OLD
earth, already gray with age and experience,
hasn't yet learned how to save up for rainy
dayW
The most common method for frost prevention
is to establish sort of savings bank for the old
fellow earth. Rest assured that he'll spend his
reserve If he can! Glass makes the best heat saw
ings bank. Ii has the curious property of allow
ing the heat from the sun to pass through TO the
earth, bur It will not allow the radlated heat from
the earth TO 20 back to the eager air" Glass Is
expensive, however, and can be used only for the
protection of comparatively small areas of ground.
Wood Is also a good Waterman to set above the
ancient prohgate. Though 1t will not allow heat
TO pass from the sun glass does, neither Will
it allow it to pass outward from the earth. In
sections of the South a ath network Is used to
cover crops during the danger periods The wood
en- network holds down large amount of heat,
and when frost occurs II helps the frozen plants
by shading them from the direct rays of the
morning and allows them to thaw gradually
Quick thawing of the frozen water particles in
plant or fruit is fatal, as it causes the cellular
tissues to break down; If the thawlng process Is
very gradual the plant may reabsorb the fluid
and the Damage done may be surprisingly slight
Various Methods Used
Paper is of less value I'm conserving heat than
is wood, though 1t is more efficient than cloth
tI,,t, oir
trate to the earth and steal the last degree OF
heat from him. so cloth covering must be quite
heavy If the frost is hard one Iron metal
pots are not at all good bankers for the earth
they allow the heat to pass back into the air al
most as readily as the earth itself
There is another method that Is employed to
save the spendthrift from the sheriff. The pres
cnCe of moisture in the air makes the radiation
of heat difficult and helps greatly to conserve the
heat which the earth already holds. Also if the
temperature drops to freezing each drop of water
gives up bit of latent heat before congeang,
and all these tiny contributions help TO keep the
surface air warmer.
A breeze from ocean, lake or river will usually
bring this wet blanket and 1t can sometimes be
supplied In an artificial manner by letting water
into irrigation bitches. Results not good may
be had by building damp smudge fires in the or
chard. Cranberry growers often save their crops
by flooding the area with watcl In the event of
extreme cold 1t is often possible to submerge en-
tire areas growing this crop. This gives absolute
protection. Less prodigal than earth, water keeps
its reserve heat for long periods Of time
Force Air TO Be Honest.
The third method of keeping the earth solvent
is by adding heat 10 the air layers near the sur
face This is done by means of many small fires
of oil, coal wood, or orchard refuse, and Is n
method well known in sections where fruit grow
ing is a speciality. 1t Is sometimes scorned as an
attempt to "warm up all outdoors" but that Is
not what happens, exactly We know that at
night the air above the earth Is warmer than
the air directly against II. Therefore, II the low
or and colder strata could he lifted and mixed
with the upper air, higher and more eQuahle
temperaFA-e would result