Fruit Injuries and Protection, Secondary Bloom 353 



charge, who with volunteer help watches the thermometer 

 during the night and warn the growers when the tem- 

 perature reaches the danger point. Localities not so 

 fortunately situated should establish information head- 

 quarters. There is much to be gained by such organiza- 

 tion. Headquarters may keep in touch with various 

 growers over the guarded area, watch the temperature 

 readings in different localities, watch the movements of 

 the air-currents, and in many ways relieve the grower of 

 much anxiety. Two or three good level-headed men at 

 such headquarters, with telephone facilities and reliable 

 thermometers in different localities, are often able to 

 predict fluctuations in temperature, reassure men who are 

 anxious to fire and would thus waste fuel, and generally 

 warn them in time to be prepared for sudden drops in 

 temperature. 



Many fruit-growers are at a loss to know when the fires 

 should be lighted. Hundreds of dollars' worth of fuel has 

 been burned up needlessly when the fruit was in no dan- 

 ger, and hundreds of dollars' worth of fruit has been lost 

 because the grower placed the danger point too low. It 

 is doubtful whether a temperature of 30 will injure fruit 

 or buds in any stage. A temperature of 28 if of long 

 enough duration to freeze the tissues solid will kill peaches 

 in bloom or after the fruit is set. After the little peaches 

 have reached some size they often pass through periods 

 of lower temperature of short duration. Peach trees well 

 loaded with buds and far enough advanced to show a 

 slight trace of pink 'have often escaped with a good crop 

 with a minimum temperature of 22. Fruit-buds of the 

 apple and pear open far enough to show the tips of the 



