360 CITRUS FRUITS AND THEIR CULTURE. 



WALLS AND FIRES. 



Great difficulty may be encountered in protecting 

 citrus trees by means of open fires, because it so frequent- 

 ly happens that freezes are accompanied by high winds, 

 rain and sleet. The wind is often so strong as to extin- 

 guish the fires and even though this is not done, the heat 

 is blown away. It has been noted that while the temper- 

 ature was sufficiently high on the side of the tree nearest 

 the fire, on the opposite side the thermometer registered 

 several degrees below freezing. 



To overcome this undersirable condition of things, 

 triangular or circular walls have been used in many 

 cases with excellent results. Sometimes these are mov- 

 able, at other times they are built stationary on the north 

 and west sides of the trees. The wind frequently shifts 

 its direction, making the movable ones somewhat more 

 desirable. A fire can be placed on the opposite side from 

 the triangle with very effective results. Wood, oil or coal 

 may be used. 



Wind-breaks and Water Protection. These have 

 been fully discussed in a former chapter, to which the 

 reader is referred. In many respects, the wind-break, 

 either artificial or natural, may serve the same purpose 

 as a wall on the northwest sides of the trees. The wind- 

 break stops the force of the driving wind and prevents 

 the dissemination of the heat. In many cases, growers, 

 in Florida, finding that their sheds were not entirely 

 satisfactory, have removed the covering, leaving the walls 

 still standing. These have acted as very efficient checks 

 to the wind. 



Protection by irrigation or by applying water to the 

 ground and trees as a spray may, in certain cases, be 



