30 THE AMERICAN PEACH ORCHARD 



These fire pots are placed throughout the orchard 

 early in spring before the danger season arrives. 

 They are used at the rate of from 50 to 100 to each 

 acre, and it seems to be good practice to lean toward 

 a larger number. It is sometimes claimed that 15 

 to 20 heaters to the acre will do the trick, but experi- 

 ence does not sustain this view. 



Some care needs to be exercised also in placing 

 the individual burners so the flame will not injure 

 any tree. They should not be placed, for instance, 

 directly beneath an overhanging branch. The natu- 

 ral and proper place for the burner is at the center 

 of the square equally distant from four trees, but 

 this precise spot is not always available. In all such 

 cases judgment must be exercised, which simply 

 means that cheap hired help cannot be used for 

 setting out the oil burners. 



It is usually desirable to have some definite plans 

 for frost warning. In sensational magazines it is 

 easy to read stories about automatic frost alarms 

 which touch the button and ignite all the oil pots 

 by an electric current, thus taking care of the or- 

 chard while the owner snores comfortably in bed. 

 Such stories, however, are useful only for the con- 

 sumption of credulous and unsophisticated city peo- 

 ple. An automatic frost alarm working like a $1 

 alarm clock has its value, but should not be de- 

 pended upon wholly. The local weather service and 

 the telephone exchange can usually be interested in 

 this matter in any fruit-growing district, and have 

 been known to give invaluable help at times of dan- 

 ger. At any rate, it is necessary for the orchard 

 owner to be very much on his guard at the critical 

 season, and if necessary to sit up nights watching 

 his own orchard. 



As soon as it appears that a frost is imminent the 



