Frost and the Prevention of Damage 'by It. 33 



high ground and is fired only a few nights each year as a general 

 rule. These cost figures, given below (Table 2), are for firing a 

 number of times per year which is probably slightly below the average. 



It is impossible to estimate present-day costs of equipping an 

 orchard from any of the above figures on account of the increase in 

 the price of all materials used in the manufacture of heaters and 

 other equipment. 



Mr. Jones's orchard was not equipped with heaters in 1913 and his 

 crop was a total loss. At the prices prevailing at that time he esti- 

 mates he lost fully $10,000 worth of fruit in the two seasons prior 

 to 1913, and $25,000 worth of fruit in 1913. In addition, so many of 

 his trees were severely damaged that he experienced a heavy loss in 

 reduced crops during the next several years. Since putting in heating 

 equipment, including the severe season of 1918-19, his losses from 

 frost damage have been negligible. 



TABLE 2. Detailed costs of protecting J t O acres of oranges ivitTi oil heaters. 



EQUIPMENT INSTALLED NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, 1913. 



Storage : 



21,000-gallon galvanized iron tank $298. 90 



Concrete foundation 45. 92 



Pipe line 164. 46 



Laying pipe line _ 7. 85 



$517. 13 



Distributing system : 



Wagon 51. 50 



Two 575-gallon tanks, complete 161. 70 



4 buckets , 6. 2p 



1 dozen lighting torches 9. 00 



228. 40 



Heaters : 



3,800 heaters at $0.58 2, 204. 00 



Painting heaters at $0.02 76. 00 



2, 280. 00 



Thermometers 42. 00 



42. 00 



Total investment 3, 067. 00 



OPERATING EXPENSES. 



Interest : 



6 per oent on $3,067, original cost $182. 85 



Depreciation : 



Storage tank, 5 per cent on $298.90 $14. 93 



Pipe line, 3 per cent on $164.46" 4.93 



Wagon, 10 per cent on $51.15 5. 15 



Wagon tanks, 8 per cent on $161.70 12.93 



Buckets and torches, 20 per cent on $15.20 3.04 



Heaters, 12J per cent on $2,204 275. 50 



Thermometers, 5 per cent on $42 2. 10 



318. 58 



Operation : 



Oil, 1913, 25,095 gallons at $0.03 752. 85 



Hauling, at $1.50 per 1,000 37. 63 



$790.48 



