FLORIDA S-TATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
one into common use among grove own¬ 
ers. 
• Let us then consider this plan, of prepar¬ 
ing to build a small fire to each tree so as 
to warm all the air in the groves as the, 
in my opinion, only effective one with 
large trees within the reach of all growers, 
though small trees I would bank with 
clean earth and leave them to take their 
chances without fires. 
At our meeting here in Jacksonville in 
1896 Rev. D. O. Davies enthusiastically 
reported a very good measure of success 
in saving a portion of his grove at 
Micanopy from destruction in the winter 
of 1894-95 by building a ‘‘conflagration” 
on the north and west sides and smaller 
fires here and there through it. 
He named his plan “The plan of the 
three P's, Preparation, Promptness, 
Perseverance.” Mr. Kinney of Pierson 
carried some of his trees and fruit through 
the same winter in sound condition 
though the state lost fifty to eighty mil¬ 
lions of dollars’ worth of property value in 
citrus groves by the cold of a few hours. 
Mr. Kinney’s plan was far mere economi¬ 
cal than that of Rev. Davies as he used 
smaller fires but more of them. By his 
request his success at that time, and dur¬ 
ing the two following seasons, were re¬ 
ported to this society at its meeting in 
1898 they being the most notable ever 
attained in this country in that line of 
effort up to that date. 
Both of these lamented friends and fel¬ 
low members have passed on to their re¬ 
ward but their work lives after them. 
Prof. J. G. McKinney gave us a very 
valuable paper on grove protection at our 
meeting here in Jacksonville in 1900 in 
which, among other good things, he gave 
us his experiments with small fires to the 
leeward of each tree with a windbreak on 
the other side so constructed as to cause 
wind eddies that drew the heat through 
;.the tree and upward to its top. 
Mr. S. C. Warner, whom I hope is here 
present, has this plan in effective operation 
and with marked success during the cold 
spell of January last. 
California has given us much of value 
through her work and careful reports in 
this line and there these small fires, in what¬ 
ever way they may be made, have proven 
most effective in warding off injury from 
cold. 
Through results obtained from the 
practice of this method of protection has 
come new courage and new confidence to 
those who realize that only by effective 
protective measures could we hope to put 
orange growing on a basis of safety that 
would more surely warrant the investment 
of capital than at any time in the'- past, 
throughout the section of the old “Orange 
Belt” of this state that has heretofore 
produced the highest quality and the 
major portion of its crop. 
Through-it the worthy and energetic 
president of this society is making orange 
culture profitable within eight or ten miles 
of the Georgia line. 
Now, as otherwise this paper promises 
to become much too long, I will give, as 
briefly as possible, a few suggestions on 
the practical working of this method of 
protection that my experience tells me are 
of value, and also offer some that, though 
not yet sufficiently tested, may on further 
study, prove to be of value. 
The key note of Messrs. Kinney and 
Davies’ teaching was, to use the formers 
words, “Be ready when the cold comes.” 
Have your fuel in place, kindlings laid, 
men engaged, plan of lighting all worked 
out, a surplus of fuel near by to replenish 
from and as soon as this is used up rush 
