Miscellaneous Notes. 



[JUNE, 



place is from the station the more frequently must the forecast 

 be in error. An examination of the chart for a few moments 

 daily, however, should enable anyone to make a local adjust- 

 ment of the forecast which might prove very valuable. 



Protection of Fruit Trees from Frost. — In connection with a 

 previous note in this fournal (April, 1906, p. 57) as to the pro- 

 tection of fruit trees from frost, the follow- 



Miscellaneous i^g note bv Mr. Consul-General Bennett 

 Notes. ' . 



may be of interest : — " Burning oil in 



metal pots to protect fruit trees from the effects of frost has 

 been practically abandoned in California on the ground that 

 the smoke is so dirty that it ruins the fruit by the deposit 

 of the oily smuts. Fires of brush and refuse lighted to wind- 

 ward are sometimes resorted to, but a better substitute is 

 the burning of sawdust in specially constructed holed tins, 

 which are conveyed through the orchard on a waggon. The 

 resulting smoke is very thick, and in order to avoid too rapid 

 combustion it is necessary to use a small spra)- pump on 

 the waggon to counteract the tendency to flame. Another 

 plan, which is expensive but successful, is a combination of 

 smudges and water. The trees are covered with burlap, 

 removable of course, mounted on iron posts, with wire about 

 16 ft. in the centre and sloping to 8 ft. at the sides. Small 

 irrigation canals are run in parallel lines under the burlap the 

 full length of the orchard. These are filled with water at a 

 temperature of 65 deg., pumped from a well at the rate of 

 3,000 gallons an hour. The water then runs to waste, and on 

 issuing at the further end of the orchard has lost about 10 deg. 

 of heat. At the same time smudges are lighted at each end 

 of the orchard and the suction of air under the awning draws in 

 the smoke and creates an excellent smudge." — {F.O. Report, 



Amiual Series.^o. 2),^^A^) 



Swedish Agricultural Meeting. — The twentieth Agricultural 

 Congress of Sweden will be held this year - at Norrkoping 

 (about four hours from Stockholm), from July 2nd to July 8th. 

 This gathering, which is representative of the whole of Sweden, 



