Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1921-05-13

daytime heat, regrets his generosity of the sum
shiny hours.
On rainy days, when the cloud strata has cut
off the suns heat, the earth is not much warmed
during the day. If, 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 "saye up for rainy
day."
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. It has the curious property of allow
ing the heat from the sun to pass through to the
earth bur it will not allow the radiated heat from
the earth to go back to the eager air." Glass is
expensive however, and can be used only for the
protection of comparatively small Of ground.
Wood is also good Waterman to set above the
ancient profigate Though it will not allow heat
to pass from the sun as glass does, neither will
it allow it to pass outward from the earth. In
sections of the South lath network is used to
cover crops during the danger periods. The wood
en- network holds down large amount of heat,
and when a frost occurs it helps the frozen plants
by shading them from the direct rays of the
morning sun and allows them to thaw gradually.
Quick tnawing of the frozen water particles in
plant or fruit is fatal, it causes the cellular
tissues to break down; if the thawng 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 in conserving heat than
is wood, though it is more efficient than cloth.
Cloth allows that cold mendicant the air. to pene-
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
ence 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 a bit of latent heat before congealing,
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 it can sometimes be
supplied in an artificial manner by letting water
into irrigation bitches. Results not so good may
be had by building damp smudge fires in the or
chard. Cranberry growers often save their crops
by flooding the area with water. In the event of
extreme cold it is often possible to submerge
tire areas growing this crop. This gives absolute
protection. Less prodigal than earth, water keeps
it's reserve heat for long periods of time.
Force Air to Be Honest
The third method of keeping the earth solvent
is by adding heat to the air layers near the sur
face This is done by means of many small fires
of oil, coal, wood orchard refuse and is a
method well known in sections where fruit grow
ing is speciality. It is sometimes scorned as an
attp Out0GOrS.'
not what happens, exactly. We know that, at
night the air above the earth is warmer than
the air directly against it. Therefore, if the low
er and colder strata could be lifted and mixed
with the upper air, higher and more equable
temperature would result.