The Lehi sun. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1913-1949, 1921-05-12

daytime heat, regrets his generosity OF the sun
shiny hours.
On rainy days when the cloud strata has cut
on the suns heat, the earth is not much warmed
during the day II, during the night the clouds
Dlow away. the enrth is apt 10 go bankrupt That
is why, when the season Is passing from spring
TO summer. or from summer TO fall. a 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 mprovident
old fellow. The farmer looks out across his
blasted fields In the morning and signs, "a kill
ing frost Inst night" And this is because the old
earth already gray with age and experience,
hasn't yet learned how TO "save up for a raipy
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
ngs bank. II has the curious property of allow
ing the heat from the sun TO pass through to the
earth, bur II will not allow the radaed 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 areas OF ground
Wood is also good Waterman 10 set above the
ancient proiligate. Though IL will not allow heat
10 pass from the sun ns glass does, neither Will
II allow II 10 pass outward from the earth. In
sections of the South hath network Is used TO
cover crops during the danger periods. The wood
and when frost occurs II helps the frozen plants
by shading them from the direct rays OF the
morning sun and allows them TO thaw gradually.
Quick thawrhg OF the frozen water particles I'm
plant or fruit Is fatal, II causes the cellular
tissues TO break down; If the thawing 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 II Is more efficient than cloth
Cloth allows that cold mendcant the air TO pene
trate TO the earth and steal the last degree OF
heat from him. so a cloth covering must be quite
heavy If the frost is hard one. Iron or metal
pots are not at all good ms 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 10
save the spendthrft 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 II the
temperature drops TO freezing each drop OF water
gives up a biz OF latent heat before cOngeallng
and ali these tiny contributions help to keep the
surface air warmer.
breeze from ocean, lake. or river will usually
bring this wet blanket, and II can sometimes be
supplied I'm 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 en-
tire areas growing this crop This gives absolute
protection. Less prodiga than earth, water keeps
its reserve heat for long periods OF time.
Force Air 20 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 n
method well known I'm sections where fruit grow
Ing is a speciality. II is sometimes scorned as an
attempt 10 "warm up all outdoors" but that is
not what happens exactly. We know that nj
night, the air above the earth Is warmer than
the air directly against IT, Therefore II the low
or and colder strata could be lifted and mixed
with the upper air, a higher and more equable
temperature would result.