FIGHTING FROST.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 98, 15 June 1911, Page 7

FIGHTING FROST.

WARMING AN ORCHARD

According 16 ;i wi'.tor in ihe “'lcchnicaJ World;--'- In tlireo idra of wanning an orcliiii'd'artificially lias spread like lire through several of tno States. The efficacy of the method has been proved beyond a shadow of doubt, and now manufacturers of oilheaters are turning these things out hy the hundred thousand. It is estimated that from £15,000,000 to £‘20,000,000 is lost by the fruit-grow-ers'of the United States every year through frost .and Colorado growers say tout in that State £BOO,OOO was

saved in 100!) hy orchard-heating. Ihe oil-hcator is said to give the host results. Wood and coal arcs will also Danish frost, hut they give much moi o trouble, and they arc slower in raising the temperature. The up-to-date orcharclist in the West lays a raw of “oil pots” between the rows of his tiecs, and instals a frost alarm. 'lnis alarm is a. most ingenious contrivance. A thermometer is placed :n or neiir the orchard, with a platinum wire fused into the moo at what is considered the danger point, and connected with an electric bell above tho oi ehardist’s. bed. When the mercury sinks below the wire, the electric current is broken, and the bell rings. The orciuudist jumps out of bed, and runs to bis orchard, and lie and his men i.ice down the lines of heaters, lighting them with torches. Probably, however, lie has had more warning, and lias not gone to bed. If i.c Jias visited the post oliico during t o day lie has soon, prominently displayed, the advice of the State meteorologist to look out for frost. Soon the tympmature outside the orchard is 28. ■of inside it is 37, and night-long vigilance keeps it above the dan'gerp.nut. Many proofs are given of the great value cf this method. Finit crops worth, from £SO to £l5O an aero are saved at a cost of from 30s to £2

an aero, and the frost rare ty aiis* to bo fought more than once of t.wioo in a season. At one place in Colorado the temporal arc fell to 15deg. oolow fi ce/ing-point on the last night in ‘V •il The heated orchards mivo a splendid crop, but not a box cI apples was obtained from the acres that had boon left alone as a tost. An orchard of 210 acres in a deep Missouri v.i.lcy bad suffered year after year; indeed, the whole valley was in a had way, ou ing to the regular destruction of fruit crops hy frost. Two men bcngiit l his orchard, put in 5000 -heaters, fought four rights of liv-sr ai d harvested 15,000 barrels of apples, vai a-fj at £9OOO.