The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-09-08
Speculation Among
Fruit Grow ers


ers, as 20. what actually took place In
California during the january, 1922,
freeze-what was saved, how it was
saved, and what the Californians arc
going to do in the future.
1t has been definitely established.
that California next winter will have,
at least, rs per cent crop. This in
spite of the fact that they have come
through freeze, such as has hardly
been eaualled in Florida. 1t is doubt
ful ;f the 94-'9S freszeAwas as severe.
Therefore the question is, "How did
they do it,"
A. report from Fred Smith, Pomona,
Calf, says: With 90 heaters per
acre, and an extra, row 25 feet 20 sl.e
windward on, the north and west sdie,
! saved my entire crop and my trees
were undamaged."
A report from the Leffingwell
Ranch, Whittier, Calf, says: with
80 heaters per acre the temperature
was raised from 10 to IL degrees. r
hard icy wind was blowing, which
nipped some of the blooms and tiny
| lemons, but most rt it was saved
along with the majority Of the mature
fruit"
A report from members of the
Florida committee, which recently Wis
tied California says: "That the prin-
| cipal reason, next to the heaters,
| which enabled the Californians 10
come out as well as they did, layed
in their packing-house equipment,
which enabled them at little cost ami
without fail, to eliminate the fruir
that had been damaged"
| Extracts from a report delivered al
the Southern California Citrus Inst
tute, Pomona, Calf, by r. l.. VIII
lits( manager of the A. F. Call Es
tates, Corona, Calf, who has been
| appointed on state committee to Sc
lect grove heaters says, "a trip was
made through the groves where firing
had been done with various types vi
heaters to observe the results obtain
ed, taking into account the efficiency
with which the heaters had been op-
Grated, and alsc to get the opinion of
the growers on the heaters used.
| "The committee was of unanimous
opinion, that the qualities to be de
sired il. heater are: Simplicity @;
construction, case of operation, =
heater which will keep the water ouj
and will lot blow over. That thu
heater should be made of proper rust
resisting material, and so constructed
that with proper care it will give
:ervice for many years.
| with this end in view, we adopted
"a heater with a 17-irch Louvre stack
5R inches in diameter, with a "a inch
extension stack, giving total of Al
inches in height. We consider this
the most desirable combination. Thi-
| gives us heater with which we ar,
all familiar, as the basic tents. AS
to other patents embodied in this
heater the American Can Co., with
which we have made manufacturin
arrangements-g guarantees the grow.
ers indemnification in all claims rela.
tive to the patent infringements.
"The capacity of the bowl was Civ
en- serious consideration. Many case
were found where heavy losses had
been sustained, because the bowl die
| not contain sufficient oil to last
through the night. Other losses wcr
sustained because the grower wa
| afraid to light the heaters 500,
enough, for fear serious DANA
| would be done later on, IN case nc
had burned the oil the heaters con
tanned too soon."
Considerable time was taken up b
the California committee on fros'
protection, in considering windmil,s
to change air currents, central heat
ing devices and fan driven heat. Al
ter wasting considerable time on this
Mr.. league, president of the CAL.
fornia Fruit Growers Exchange, AMI
manager of one of the largest frut
producing ranches in California. cx-
pressed himself as follows: "Gcn,
half million dollars with the heat.
ers. 1 am for the proposed improve
ments and contract with the Amcri.
can Can Co. I am for quantity pro.
duction and decreased cost; but l GER
tainly will not vote to abandon the
heaters for something chimerical, cs.
pecially now, since the heaters have
SO conclusively proven themselves.
AS result Of all this agitation, :.
Standard Grove Heater was adopted
and by contracting with large mar.
ufactnring concern; the cost of pro.
duction was cut nearly in half. Soon
er or later, all growers of citrus
fruits throughout the United States
and particularly the growers of de.
cidous fruits in this state will have
to adopt a similar form of protection
to eliminate the periodical waste
caused by frost. "Elimination Of
Waste is the slogan of progress.
Piet Vlag
w. Tampa, Fla.