Peach-Growing in Oregon. 97 



not be started until about 3 o'clock A. M., as the tluMinoiuetiT will uot 

 indicate a dangerous temperature on a clear night until near morning; from 

 then until sunrise the radiation is fast, and a blanket of smoke will pre- 

 serve the crop. Frost occurs on still nights. Smudge fires cause air circula- 

 tion, the smoke absorbs the moisture in the air. All of tlicse physical con- 

 ilitions help to prevent frost injury. 



] know some claim smudge fires heat the air, and by heat prevent injury 

 from frost. I think this is a mistake, as when I smudged in 1887 T had a 

 thermometer in the orchard where the smoke was dense, and one away 

 where there was no smoke, and the reading of temperature taken at the 

 same moment on both thermometers was the same. 



The grower to smudge with success m'ust be prepared. i"\iel must be on 

 hand, and plenty of it. At 3 o'clock A. M. if he finds the thermometer 

 on a clear night near 32 degrees and going down, fires sliould be started at 

 once and vigorously kept going until after the thermometer rises above 32 

 degrees. Many of the crude oils, petroleum or coal tar make dense smoke, 

 and are good to use for smudging. Take sawdust and mix coal tar through 

 it so it will press into cakes; these cakes give off a dense, heavy smoke 

 when burning, and they burn slowly. Wet straw or refuse from the stable 

 thrown over these coal-tar cakes help in creating a dense smudge. 



The commercial peach-grower, if he would make a success of the peach, 

 should include preparation for smudging as one of the details of his work, 

 and every year be prepared to smudge. On very frosty years, with a small 

 I each crop, prices always rule high. The energetic peach-grower who 

 smudges his orchard during the danger of frost during the spring and saves 

 his crop by smudging, is always well paid by increased demand and prices 

 for his peaches, for the labor and expense of smudging. 



A. H. CAKSON, 

 Commissioner for Third District. 



