COST OF FROST-FIGHTING

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 20, 16 October 1937, Page 6

COST OF FROST-FIGHTING

A. H,

, PROBERT.

Sir, — In publishing my letter of tho second instant, it was not with any intention of dissuading any orchardist from fighting frost, but simply to giva the public an idea of the initial cost of .equipment and first-night firing., Now, a^regards the number of pots necessary, why take the risk of misleading growers, intentionally or otherwisef In Australia recently there have been experiments by experts with 60 and 80 to the acre, with both oil and brickettes. Oil proved the -quicker in raiaing the temperature, and cheaper, but neither were satisfactory, being too slow, and did not raise the temperature to. a safe margin. This information can he seen in Australian fruit journala in our circulating' library. In stating one hundrcd pots as a safe margih I think it is quite correct, and without any commercial influence at the back. In the artieles appearing over Mr J, E. Milne's name in last evening rs issue, there are statements requiring a little analysing. Outlay on 600 pots (inadequate) should be £60, less annual depreciation, to wipe them. off in a given time. The difference'in cost of pots, two-pence, is infiinitesimal. Mine were two shillings and two-pence last year. The four points on method- of firing are good advice. Now the statement that three hundred pots to four acres raised the temperature from 24$ degrees to 34 degrees, with the information gath« ered on the subject, seems xeally ahsurd, and 1 will willingly donate five guineas to the Memorial Hospital if the author of the statement can at any time show me on a tested thermometer that it is possible. Regarding men at 14/-, present conditions of the labour market render comment unnecessaryj Thanking you for valuable space. — Yours, etc.,

Hastings, October 15, 1937.