Letters to the Editor

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 8, 2 October 1937, Page 6

Letters to the Editor

Cost of Frost-Fighting Sir,— Mr Adamson, Orchard Inspector, is eertainly in a position to give details of the f rost-fighting by orchardists last Tuesday night, for he was touring the district up till daylight to my knowledge. Orchardists had learned a lesson from the October last disaster. Although he knows that with a frost of that severity it would have been impossible to save the crops in all areas, orchardists know perfectly well what Mr Adamson means by that stat.ement. But unfortunately the general public do not understand, and I know of remarks passed, even by business men in town, that they think all we have to do is to fill a few jam-tina of oil, light the fuel and save the crop. When you consider that it had been in the vicinity of twenty years since we had a frost at that time of year of anyjnagnitude, there was an excuse for not being prepared, and then even an oil'-pot, li gallons to every tree and filled twice, would have saved but a very small percentage of the crop, for it is almost impossible without injury to the trees to raise the temperature more than four or five degrees which still would have left eight degrees of frost, more than suffieient to do the damage on that memorahle night, and at what a cost. When you realise that for many years fruit has not more than paid cost of production, you cannot blame growers for not adding to their costs. Now for an idea of the cost of equipment, etc. Perhaps a few figures would be of interest and would enlighten those who do not know. Take 10 acres as the average orchard: • £', s .d 1000 fire-pots 1\ gallons at 2/2 each ................ 108 6 8 Filled .twice 2500' gallons oil ; at 8d a gallon , 83 6 8 Five men, if obtainahle, at" 25/- each 6 5 0 Plus all the family help gratis . Total £197 18 4 A formidable amount to be 'on hand f qr a problematical save . in . the event of frost/ I know soine growers ' of stonefruit, , plums in partieulav, who burned oil during- Tuesday- night 's frost, but still lost the "lot. • Trusting that these facts may be of interest at the present time, and thanking you for your valuahle space. — Yours, ete., A. H. PROBERT. Hastings, ■ Oct. 2, 1937. .